A Grandfather's Labor of Love...

When my husband Jim and his little sister, Cathy, lived at home, their dad got them a minibike. A Rupp minibike to be exact. A classic today. After Cathy moved from home and their parents were selling their old homestead, Cathy offered the bike to us. We had three sons that would surely enjoy the bike.

After a getting the bike repaired and refueled, the boys had some great times riding the bike in our yard and the back fields. It was great fun though a little tense as the kids rode by themselves or together with us or their brother, Bryan.

I have a picture somewhere of Bryan riding it and his long legs being held up to allow him to ride on the lawn. We have another of Aaron holding on for dear life, but enjoying the ride and the camaraderie with his big brother. The bike took the boys on a few good jaunts before it was in need of repair again. Being the end of the season the bike was put away and never came out of the garage again.

The years went by and the boys got into mountain bikes and  BMX bikes that they liked to ride in the "trails" doing stunts and jumps and such. The poor little minibike was relegated to the back of the garage.

Then when our grandson was old enough, he spotted it in our garage asked what it was. From that day on he would look for it in the garage and ask if it was fixed yet. Truth be told, Jim would have loved to hand it off the him and make more room in the garage, but they had no place to ride it.

Until now. Bryan and Jess moved their family into a home on five acres! The yard is HUGE and just begging for little boys to ride minibikes on them.

So we are heading down the Georgia to deliver a repaired minibike to the new generation of Bells. But first came the labor of love only a grandfather could bestow on his grandsons. So here are a few of the phases to get there.

Tools & Parts to do the job.

Custom pieces to make.

The patiently waiting Rupp.