Nath:
The Madison Swap was great (& intense during the first three hours - a lot of people there...).
The venue changed last year to the former "Dane County Coliseum" (*much* better locale) and now I wished hadn't missed last year's swap, but I won't make that mistake again! Well worth the 800-mile drive for me (round trip).
Notable attendees (most of them listmembers) were:
John Barron Richard Cielec Chris Cleveland Chris Kvale Tom MacDonald
(If I missed you, please chime in...).
The Twin Cities were well represented (John, Chris, Chris, Tom).
I don't think Sarah was able to attend :-(
Not a lot that was worth purchasing IMO, but John, ever-vigilent, scored a first-gen. Record LH crankarm (rear dustcap no longer there, but way cool nonetheless), and a no-date NR rear derailleur. A fellow named Scott Callum (sp?) that comes to many Midwest swaps was there with some NOS Maillard Magnesium freewheels, and an NOS Zeus 2000 six-speed freewheel (French-threaded body, though - darn).
Many, many customers - I sold about 40-50 items with the help of a local friend - one fellow was looking at my SR seatposts, and mentioned that he had purchased a nice Basso-pantographed one recently on eBay. I grinned, and said "yep - from me!" It's truly a small (vintage lightweight) world.
Highlight of the show may have been the 1971 Hetchins Vibrant (?) Curly frameset - red, but repainted, and the seller had perhaps an unrealistic idea of its value (I heard...). Saw one San Rensho frameset (too small for me, o/w I'd have bought it - asking price of $200).
Strangest moment: a woman saw my NOS early silver Silca pump with the NOS Campy steel head with blue feet and a Campy umbrella clip, said that was exactly what a friend of hers was looking for, asked me to hold it for her, came back and bought it, then returned fifteen minutes later and asked to return it, because her friend didn't want it "at that price" ($70, in the cellophane envelope). Full refund cheerfully given, but I wondered to myself if the "friend" understood exactly what the item was? C'est la vie.
Madison is kind of the Midwest equivalent of the Denver swap now, I'd say. Hope to see more CR listmembers there next year!
Regards,
Greg Parker Ann Arbor, MI USA 396 miles from Madison....
> Date: Sun, 26 Jan 2003 19:28:39 -0600
> From: "nath" <ferness261@voyager.net>
> To: <OROBOYZ@aol.com>, <swampmtn@siscom.net>,
> <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Subject: Re: [CR] Amelie
>
<snip>
> Speaking of vintage bike stuff . . . how did the Madison (WI) Swap Meet go?
> I'd have been there, but I had a music gig last night from 6 to 9:30, and
> there was no real way of doing all that driving and perusing before driving
> out again for music. But I hope Greg and Sarah and the others who made it
> had a good time and some good finds, too.
>
> nath dresser
> spring green, wi