Now that I've taken my Trek out for a few rides I realize how little I would actually use it, so it is a good thing that it cost so little to fix up. So far I'm $70 into it, if that much. It still needs a seat and grips, but maybe I'll just poach the saddle off another bike I have. For that matter, my commuter bike that I did use a lot doesn't have a great saddle on it either. Maybe I should get a new saddle for that bike and swap.
Too bad that bike cost real money and now you don't think you'll use it. You can try putting a smaller chainring on the front or a larger cog on the back, that'll lower all the gears. I don't know if you can widen the range of the hub itself, but I somehow doubt it, so the lowest gear went lower without making the highest gear change.