Maintaining my bike became a critical skill

Maintaining my bike became a critical skill. I learned how to change out the wheel bearings n short order, including packing the new bearings with axle grease (thanks, dad). I had good luck with tires and spokes and only occasionally did I have to dismount a tire.

The paper route was hard on the bike, the extra weight was probably outside the design limits

Toward the last year or so of my route, our papers were delivered to Charles Hollis’s house about a half a block south of our house on Idylwood. We folded papers on his front porch. I do recall sometimes folding the evening paper on the floor of the living room while watching afternoon TV (Three Stooges, Our Gang and cartoons).