The Mini Bike I Never Had

When I was 14 I bought my first car. I wasn’t planning to buy a car. I saw an ad for an old Chevy for $60. My father drove me over to look at it, but it was too late. Sold.

So I called into the local radio station swap meet show, asking if anyone had an old car they were willing to sell for $50. I got a call from a guy who had a 1962 Olds F85 sitting unused in his garage. Turns out his girlfriend worked for my father.

We got it started and drove it home. It needed just a few things and soon I had a fully operational car. I was 14.

Had I thought this out, or made any kind of a plan, I would not have bought a car. I should have gone looking for a go-kart or a mini bike. Getting the moped has taught me the importance of starting simple.

With the cars I was way over my head and never caught up. With a mini bike, not matter what was wrong with it, I could have handled it. AND, I could have ridden it!

This brings us to the question of divergent timelines. What would have happened had I bought a mini bike instead?

I probably would have gone for an on/off road motorcycle. That would allow me to ride most of the year. Maybe get studded tires for winter.

As I aged though, I’d probably go for a bigger road bike, with a beater car or van as backup.

And now that I’m getting older I would definitely go for one of those cool 3-wheel Can Am things, with a nice van and trailer to haul it. Maybe when I settle down and finish with the moped, I can get the Can Am.