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Spin Doctor of Lake George
Bob Flanagan, a retired General Electric electrical and mechanical engineer tunes up and tests the two-wheelers that fill the basement of his Nottingham Drive home. They’ll all be on the road in Lake George this summer. On the pedals will be young men and women from Russia, Macedonia, Turkey and other countries. The exchange students, who travel to the United States each spring and summer for work experience, need transportation as they move from morning to afternoon jobs. Posted on June 10, 2012.
Working with tools has always been part of the Flanagan style. “All my life, I’ve been repairing things,” he said. “My claim to fame is I’ve never had a repairman or a carpenter or an electrician in my house.”
Queensbury resident Bob Flanagan is a retired GE engineer who fixes up old bikes that are used by foreign exchange students working at resorts, motels and restaurants in Lake George over the summer.
Flanagan has worked on more than 50 bikes during the past 10 years, keeping his fleet on the road.
Bob has a basement full of bike parts and bikes that he repairs in his basement at home.
The renovation project has been going for about 10 years. It started when Rick and June Sabayrac of Houston moved next door to the Flanagans; the Texans had just bought the Travelodge motel in Lake George. The two couples became friends, and fix-it man Bob repaired a couple of bicycles the Sabayracs had brought with them.
Flanagan drops off three refurbished bikes at the Travelodge on Canada Street in Lake George. Alexander Spirkoski, from Macedonia, who works at the Travelodge, picks out one to use over the summer.
Flanagan drops off three refurbished bikes at the Travelodge on Canada Street in Lake George. Alexander Spirkoski, from Macedonia, who works at the Travelodge, picks out one to use over the summer.
Queensbury resident Bob Flanagan gets high marks from Travelodge owner June Sabayarc for keeping the bikes her employees use tuned up during the summer.
