Tag Archive: kids

Teen Cargo: Happy Birthday Kael (wittco posted on May 16th, 2013 )

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It happened. Kael turned 13. There is now a teenager in our house and another cargo bike in our family.

On March 22, 2013, Kael received a custom made cargo bike. This bike is the combined efforts and creativity of friends, family, and Tom Labonty. I thank you all for your involvement. Kael has taken the Cargo Flyer out for many rides. One of the first rides was to Fred Meyer where he purchased a Nerf gun with birthday money and then happened upon a free pile on the way home. What a lucky kid.

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The Advanced Wood class at my high school built the box. The box started out as salvaged lumber from two futon frames found in free piles. The Advanced Wood class deconstructed the frames into lumber, planed the wood, and did all sorts of thises and thats to give it a professional look. Then the Metal Shop teacher offered to cut out a metal badge for the bike, using a rendered copy of the Cargo Flyer logo I sketched out. So many people were drawn to this project and quickly offered to help.

Kael now has a bike and a key to a U-Lock. The city is his. I wish him well as he goes forth and explores life. Freedom.

If you are just making it to the party, here is a quick recap–Kael’s first bike was a Radio Flyer trike so his 13th birthday present is a homage to that; in addition, Kael’s first two-wheeled bike was used as the front fork for the Cargo Flyer. Here are previous posts: Teen Cargo, Kael on a Metrofiets, Teen Cargo 2, and Almost Done. In addition, here is a photo set of the bike build.

Video of Cargo Flyer.

It all started years ago …
Kael, age two.
Kael's first or second Christmas

Teen Cargo 2 (wittco posted on January 10th, 2013 )

3 Toms Cargo Bikes Cargo Flyer bike in jig

In a previous post, I share a sketch and background for my son’s cargo bike. Tom LaBonty (Tom’s Cargo Bikes) has taken on the build. He will build my teenage-son-to-be a cargo bike.

When he sent me these two photos, I was emotionally struck. You see, that little blue bike is Kael’s first two-wheeler. Seeing the little blue bike cut up, solidified what I already knew–my first born is growing up. He has not used that blue bike since he was 3 or 4. Read the rest of this entry >>

Teen Cargo (wittco posted on December 18th, 2012 )

Cargo Flyer - Nov 20, 2012

Teenagers and Rituals
In America, we lack rituals, rites of passage, ways to celebrate the change of time and the adoption of increased freedoms and responsibilities. We have the usual driver’s license, cigarette purchasing, and lawful drinking, but nothing before that which we share as a country. Of greater loss, we don’t have a passage for kids that is healthy and not connected to some age-getting vice.

March 22, 2013 is my son’s 13th birthday. He will officially be a teen. I will pass on to him the keys to a U-Lock, and his very own, freedom creating, cargo bike from Tom LaBonty. Tom LaBonty (Tom’s Cargo Bikes) has taken on the project to build my son’s Cargo Flyer.

Read the rest of this entry >>