Margie's New Bike! 11/11/11

It's Veteran's Day and Stan has the day off. Happy Veteran's Day Stan!!! We decided to take my bike for new tires. This is Stan's regular bike shop on Hwy 188. He does a lot of work on Stan's Giant bike.


It's small inside but LOTS of bikes here!


Even stacked up the walls for better use of space. Obviously these are kids' bikes.


Closer view of one of the clips holding a sign on a bike basket - cute!


Oh I like this interesting skater/bike!


Look at the gorgeous wood ceiling and beams in this shop!


In the open "service area" my bike is getting a new tire. That's our car outside.


I was surprised and pleased that the bike guy could fix my bike immediately - yay!


His assistant (perhaps his wife?) helps him. Guess she's the "jack."


Oh well now - look what we found for sale inside the shop . . . a very gently used 3-wheel bike - and it's PINK!


I'm driving it around the nearby neighborhood. Rides a little different, but it's MUCH newer and prettier than my old one.


We've decided to buy it, so the owner - with help from a postman who happened by - is very carefully removing the old registration sticker and topping off the tires with air.


It's in our car with my old one. Fortunately, we were only transporting my bike and not Stan's, so we had room. Everything just worked out . . .


We've decided to drive through the neighborhood behind the bike shop instead of waiting to turn out onto Hwy 188 - very nice quiet area. This is of course - a two-lane road.


Someone's recycling waiting for pick up - someone drinks a lot . . .


Saw this cute little panda van out on Hwy 188. The cute dolphin was a gift from Barbara and hangs from the rear-view mirror.


Wow! This vacant lot is where the large flower & garden shop across from Yellow Hat used to be . . . wonder what's going in next?


Cute little children in bright yellow hats walking home from school along Hwy 188. It's a school day here in Japan . . .


Crossing a river, I look up and see a chevron of birds - heading south, perhaps?


Little closer view . . . that's a LOT of birds!


Behind another car with cute name: Fun Cargo.


Now we're driving on Rt 2 toward Otake. I love that fish sign!




The ever-changing balloon sculpture is now a Christmas tree! - wow - this seems early . . .


Here we are at Nishimura Joy. It's one of our favorite stores and is located directly behind the You Me Town in Otake on Rt 2. This is where we usually have to go to buy Sachi's cat grass.


I always love looking at the interesting plants as we walk in through the garden center.


In the parking lot, we found this cute VW bus - I remember having one in 1973 . . . but mine was red & white. See the red car right next to it?


It has Mickey & Minnie seat covers and even lock covers!


And from the driver's side you can see the steering wheel cover. Just when I think I've seen just the cutest thing in Japan, I find something else on our Japan Adventure!