Thanks to the efforts of Brother Joe B-Z, the '62 Dawes Realmrider I sold to Chris Beyer is back in my possession. The first thing I noticed when I uncrated it is how well Joe boxed it up for transit. The second observation was that Chris had done a lovely job shining it up, taking it a couple of notches past where it was when it went to him.
It's a special bike for me. I purchased it on a whim at a flea market, after not having ridden in many years. It's the bike that reintroduced me to cycling, the first bike I ever brought back from the edge of the scrap heap. It came home with me the first day on what turned out to be one of the last road trips I got to enjoy with a mentor figure who has since passed on. I'll think of both him and Chris every time I ride it.
Russ Fitzgerald
Greenwood, SC