Thursday, May 3, 2012

Lumberjack - Fighting for Justice

Who doesn't love a good police auction?  Honestly, everybody has dreams of the big score from the police auction.  The high end bicycles sold for a song.  The drug vehicles pimped out and given away as a door prize.  It's the American Dream.

So, I saw a story on the news yesterday about the police auction.  I thought that there must be a few gem bicycles hidden amongst the rubble.  So I went and took a look at the auction listing.  Indeed, there was one diamond in the rough.  A bicycle so special that it just popped off the page:

"WHITE LUMBERJACK RENTED MULE 1 SPEED MOUNTAIN BIKE"

Now, flash backwards to a few years ago.  A customer of mine e-mailed me looking for some documentation to present to his insurance company.  For his stolen White Lumberjack Rented Mule Bicycle.  Indeed, the 1st ever Lumberjack Rented Mule Bicycle sold to an outsider.  I remember that day.  It was a sad day.  A prime piece of hand-made, high-end bicycle forced into a hard life in the stolen bicycle trade.

Anyhow.  That's the bike.  I immediately e-mailed the customer and he got in touch with the police and the 1st ever Lumberjack Rented Mule Bicycle sold to an outsider is coming home.  I'm curious to hear what sort of mishmash of parts ended up mounted in place of his custom build.  I would imagine that the Chris King headset that I so lovingly pressed into place is probably going to be missing.  Although, maybe not?  Does the average bicycle thief possess the technology to swap headsets?

It's all just so very crazy and weird.  And I think I might take the long way home tonight and swing by the preview and see what other gems I might discover.  My skateboard that was stolen from my house in the 7th grade when my sister threw a party?  Andrea's ipod that was jacked from her glove compartment?  I'm feeling lucky.