Dear Person Who Stole My Bike,

Because you were generous enough to take my bike in the middle of the night without waking my family or I, I thought I would return the generosity by giving you a few tips on what I affectionately called The Green Machine.

One of the finer attributes of the bike is the squishy cushion seat I purchased for it two years ago.  It should really make those long distance rides comfortable for you.  I did have the bike for ten years, so as it aged, it got a bit quirky.  The back tire tends to lose air a bit.  The back brakes are obnoxiously squeaky, especially when it is cold.  This would be good to remember if you ever use the bike on another night job.  The front brakes are uber sensitive.  This is important to know because you have to apply less pressure to them, and more pressure to the rear brakes.  Failure to do so may result in the rider being catapaulted over the handle bars.  Trust me.  I know from experience.  The combination for the lock is 0612.  I recommend using it, especially at night, when you think your bike is safely hidden on your back porch. 

I recently grew quite fond of the times when I was able to ride the Green Machine.  A good ride on my bike was a simple pleasures that made this challenging season of life a little more bearable.  Thank you for ridding me of my escape from reality.  May you find as much joy in riding it as I did.

Sadly,

Joshua Shanklin