>Yes, you may have been inviting people to a
>party at your house but you weren't serving the drinks for free.
Whoa.
I've been to Dale's super secret workshop of vintage wonders. I've shaken the man's hand. I've talked with him at length on many occasions. Putting this list together was a labor of love. Running the Cirque (which I've attended every year it has occurred) is a labor of love. I count Dale as a friend I don't get to see often enough.
Let's see ... if this list was all a clever marketing move, then Dale is getting a very poor return for his investment. The number of items he has offered for sale here has been miniscule, and usually at quite reasonable prices. Considering the amount of time he has devoted to this list versus any possible financial reward, it would be a dud.
But if one understands that Dale is far more interested in knowledge and an exchange of ideas, well, then ... it makes sense. If one realizes that like-minded folks enjoy communicating with one another, and Dale is our first among equals, then the list is a rousing success.
This list isn't about money. I don't see people making enormous profits from vintage bikes. Even those who do it for a living could make much more money doing something else. People who make their living with classic bicycles are, as Ricky pointed out so well, in a position analogous to teachers - this is your passion, and you are fortunate if you can feed and clothe yourself while doing work you love. If it was about money, you'd be off somewhere doing something much more lucrative.
Strangely enough, sometimes I find the advertisements for things I would never buy educational. I'll mention Hilary Stone as an example - his descriptions of bits he wishes to sell are always informative, and they always pique my curiosity. Even the commercial statements put things in context. I learn something from his offerings.
And by the way - the time I was at Dale's workshop? The refreshments were free.
Russ Fitzgerald
Greenwood SC
rfitzger@emeraldis.com
http://www.emeraldis.com/