Reunited at last

It was 1993. Tony Medina, then 23, spent his days subduing riots as a prison guard in Ionia, Mich. Although he liked his job, spending so much time in an environment filled with constant hostility eventually got to him. After a while, Tony said he felt as if he were one of the prisoners.

At that point in his life, Tony said he was an adventurer at heart — he flew by the seat of his pants. To fulfill his need to travel, Tony saved up his vacation time and planned a five-week trip to Italy. He finally had the opportunity to escape.

Before embarking on his trip in the spring, Tony saved up enough money to purchase a new bike from Denny’s Central Park Bicycles, then located in Lansing. The Schwinn Cannondale SH400 cost him $600, which Tony said was a lot of money for a bike back then. It was the first he had ever purchased.

The new bicycle never touched Michigan soil. It was boxed up and sent directly to Italy, where Tony used it as his main mode of transportation for the duration of his trip.

Tony and his Schwinn made the most out of their time in Italy. He joined a bike club that ultimately led him throughout his journey, he drank vino on a mountainside with gypsies and used his beloved bike as a platform to hoist himself and “the most beautiful girl in Rome” over the gates of the Colosseum for a romantic rendezvous.
After racking up an estimated 600 miles and countless memories, it was time to return to reality. Tony packed up his bike and made the long trip back to Michigan.

Video: Reunited at last ...

Once he was home, Tony loaded his bike on the back of his car and spent the night at his mother’s house in Lansing. The next morning, he awoke to find his bicycle gone. Tony was crushed — it served as a nasty reminder that there are bad people in this world, he said.
Although Tony is far from materialistic, his bicycle held immense sentimental value. It was a vehicle for which some of his greatest memories were made, and now it was gone.

After plastering flyers all around town, interviewing neighbors and filing a police report, Tony still had no luck in finding his lost treasure. Although he eventually started to lose hope, he swore he would get it back someday.

Fast forward to 2012, approximately 19 years later.

Sparked by a conversation at a holiday party last December, Tony got the idea to purchase a new bicycle, similar to his last. After typing “tall men’s Cannondale” into an eBay search, there it was — his bike, stickers from Italy and all. Tony was ecstatic.

He immediately contacted the police department and headed to Milford, Mich., to retrieve his old friend. The seller said he had bought it at a garage sale for $80 — which may or may not have been true — but Tony didn’t care. He was just happy to have it back. Although he was the rightful owner and wasn’t obligated to pay for it, Tony gave the man $100 for his trouble since the bike was still in relatively good condition.

Denny’s promised Tony a free tuneup when he originally purchased the bike. Although he has to pay a little extra since the bike had 19 years of wear and tear, the shop lived up to its promise.
Although this may seem like a miracle to some, Tony said he is known for overcoming the odds. His life has always been this way, and this was just another piece of the puzzle.

“Life has these poetic ironies that make it worth living,” Tony said. “It seems as if everything comes full circle.”
Tony may not be the adventurer that he once was, but he hopes to soon rekindle his love for travel by exploring Michigan from the perspective of a cyclist.

Click here to see a short video about Tony and his bike.

Kelsie Thompson, The State News

Please contact me at thomp925@msu.edu to: thomp925@msu.edu if you or someone you know have a story worth telling.

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