Graduating from my Training Wheels

For the past week I have been spending everyday at the bike shop just up the street. Apparently I don't like to stray far from home. Cycling is awesome, but at the moment I don't own a bike. That is not why I have been there though.

I just finished a sporting goods business program; part of the program requirements for practical knowledge comes from completing placement hours. I am completing mine at (insert plug here) Rapid City Cycle.

It's a group of pretty good guys, and while they know every little intricacy and part for any bike ever made, I know almost nothing. So here is the good & bad on the situation.

GOOD:

• I am learning a bunch of stuff, about bikes and business
• I have very little responsibility (it's nice)
• I will hopefully get a good deal on a bike at the end of this

• I have been offered a variety of furniture, and people to move it for me

BAD:

• Customers ask me questions and I rarely know the answer.
  
• I often feel foolish and not overly useful
• On the flip to having little responsibility, I also have little to do.

QUESTIONABLE:

• The french guy who comes in a few times a day and always asks for my help even though he is aware of how little I know about bikes.
  

Multiple times a day I find myself saying, " Uh, I honestly don't know. Let me grab one of the guys to help you out." Or, alternatively, "Hmm, give me one sec and I'll check with George." I mean I think the honesty wins me some points, but its kind of difficult to be successful in a specialty store with only basic product knowledge.

At the end of today, I am happy, well-fed, and well accepted into an unfamiliar environment. I think I am doing alright.