Sunday 14 October 2012

Never Take the Word of a Carpet Salesman

Progress, as they say, is inexorable. Well, I've got a new one.

Progress is... well, slow.

This week I've handed over more than a month's salary in deposit and rent, set up a Facebook page and a Twitter account, been to Costco for another bloodletting and found out that 'Closing Down Sale' in terms of a carpet shop is meaningless and 'Up To 80% Off' is just TOTAL BOLLOCKS!

I sell things for a living but by God I'm glad it isn't carpets! That's just licenced dishonesty. I got some exorbitant quotes for flooring in the shop and walked out feeling that if the 'Closing Down' sale were true then it was no bad thing.

To add insult to injury the slime ball called me 3 times in the next hour. FECK! Talk about pressure selling. They should all be shot and burned. Don't get me started on 'Free Fitting' . . .

Yesterday I bought a brush and a tape measure from the delightful lady at the DIY shop across the road and felt an awful lot better about the whole experience.

Tomorrow I'm looking for carpet tiles and hoping for better things.

On a brighter (much brighter) note, this week I also acquired a tag-along to attach to one of my bikes which means the youngest can cycle to school with me when we get the shop up and running.

More later

luv'n'stuff

John

Saturday 6 October 2012

Well This Is Scary . . .

Hi and welcome to John The Bike Man's blog, 'Random Ramblings of the Vague Veloist'

Vague Veloist? Yep, that's me. I can do just about anything with a bike - except ride. Build it, clean it, service it, adjust it, upgrade it but always when it comes to time to go for a ride there's something else far more important to do. I recently went for a ride with a pal. I remembered the bike but forgot gloves, shoes, shorts, waterproofs - the lot!

Anyway, the reason for the blog?

For a long time now I've had a dream, to run my own bike shop. I'm very close to achieving it. The scary part is "Ohmygodwhatifnobodywalksthru'thedoor?" kind of thing and it's true, there's nothing guaranteed but if nothing else, it's a ghost that needs to be exorcised, it's an itch that needs to be scratched and what if I enjoy it? What if it's a success? Could I possibly be happy?

(...as I'm typing this I'm accompanied by The Beatles playing 'Fool on the Hill' - kind of appropriate)

All my adult life I've had a thing for bikes, I love the apparent simplicity but hidden complexities of the bicycle. I mean, what's difficult about a bike? Two wheels, two pedals - where's the mystery? It's in the engineering, the precision of the transmission, the fascination of being able to propel oneself, nothing other than muscle power.



I can't make a bike but I can build one, I understand them, take a motley collection of bits and produce something you can ride to work on, or the park, or to France, or over the Pennines. Tell me what you want it to do and there's a solution.



Join me and share the experience of a journey to who knows where and follow your intrepid reporter as he attempts to navigate the hostile waters of business, bikes and the bike riding (and hopefully buying) public. Unashamedly this blog will link to the (coming) website and, because it's mine,  I'll use it not only to tell you what's been going on but also to tell you what I want and what I'm planning to do.

luv'n'stuff

J