Veloswap Report Pt. III
The Ride. This will explain why Chuck is grinning so big!
Before I start, I forgot to mention my encountering three very important friends while at Veloswap. First, my new partner Craig Fenstermaker was there making the rounds for a while. He supplied the "Ask me about Vintage Bicycle Specialites" T-shirts for us. He just happened to be in town that day and dropped in to smooze and hang out a bit. I forgot to mention that fellow framebuilder Phil Brown stopped by for a while to visit. I miss him since he moved to the frozen north of San Rafeal, CA from the warmer south of California. I also saw Tom Rawson there who I have come to know and respect while working with him on the paintwork on his Richard Moon frame. We have had quite a few interesting conversations over the past year or so.
We awoke from a well deserved and very sound sleep that was an absolute neccessity after our previous very long day which was accompanied by a lack of food during the event. I was the first awake and I peeked out the window at the hotel and was greated by what appeared to be a beautiful sunny, and hopefully warm day. I was mostly correct, all except the warm part. That is relative, and the day was warm, except to me who is really sensitive to cold. I was a little concerned about my severe lack of fitness; the previous time I'd been on my bike was 5 weeks ago during VRIII. That is consistant with my normal one month intervals between 25 mile rides with our regular vintage gang in So. Cal. I had heard that the ride was 55 miles. I knew I was going to be in trouble, but you gotta go on these epic rides because they are, well, epic. I figured the first step to possible survival would be to have breakfast. After everyone awoke and prepared to go downstairs to breakfest, I was feeling pretty good about my chances of not becomming vulture food on the road.
We met up with Jan in the lobby and the 5 of us went into the resturaunt, passing a sign that announced that buffet breakfast was $14 per person. OUCH! I'd have to eat a wheelbarrel full of Cheerios to make that worthwhile, but when you're on the road you have to expect a few surprises. I figured I'd just open my hollow leg and fill it with food. We walked past the buffet as we headed to our seating and checked out the fare. The place was almost empty of guests, so there should be plenty of food for the 5 of us. Well not exactly. The staff was not prepared for us in a way that would justify $14 each, but we started in. We all loaded up our plates only to find that at one point or another there were no eggs, no bacon, no coffee, no plates, etc., etc.. Peter Johnson joined us midway through the meal, so we totaled 6 by the end. We did manage to finally eat our share of things, but the experience was fun mainly on account of the good fun we always have when we all sit down and stuff our faces. Matty was in need of a larger cup for his coffee and requested a "heman sized" cup. The help brought him a cup that my pet goldfish would have been at home in! Way to go Matty! I had a hard time stuffing enough food in my small belly, knowing that I was probably about to embark on a Death March. As we finally prepared to leave, Jan once again took charge of the situation. She informed the waiter that our meal was ill prepared and he rolled over almost immediately and removed 3 of the 6 meals on the ticket! Man is she good! Then she most generously paid for our meals! Talk about a first class hostess, she made our whole trip worth attending in so many ways.
We cleared out and headed to American Cyclery for the start of the ride. Finding parking in SF is not exactly easy, and after a few attempts at fitting the minivan into parking spaces no more than a foot larger than the van, we gave up and went to the parking lot of the nearby stadium. Perfect spot in the end as it was only a few yards from the store. The sun was out, many were dressed in shorts like Chuck, but I was planning on being warm if at all possible. The bike shop employees were wonderful to us as we prepared to head north over the Golden Gate Bridge. You all saw the group photo of us before be left.
He started out through Golden Gate Park as we made our way to the bridge. It was really cool to ride over the bridge, which stands 215 feet above the water. The area itself is grand, but the view as we crossed the span was just plain awsome. The group was taking it easy and we were all having a good time talking as we rode along. I knew that on the other side of the bridge was a significant down hill, meaning that to get back, there was a climb that I was not looking forward to. We dropped into the quaint town of Sausilito(sp?) which was flat and very populated with other Sunday cyclists. We rode slowly the whole time, which suited me fine since it improved my odds of making it back. Phil Brown pointed out a famous "Rock 'n Roll landmark" to me called the Heliport, where bands like Quicksilver Messinger Service, Ths Sons of Champlin, and The Electric Flag (one of my favorite groups of all time for which Phil Brown himself was the road manager!!) used to reherse back in the 60's. Thanks, Phil! The group decided to cut the route short as we stopped for lunch in Tiburon. We had the option of a ferry ride back to the city, but we chose the shortened route back the way we came. During lunch an older gentleman riding an 80's Pogliaghi showed up and Charles Andrews and I decided we wanted to talk to the guy just for grins. We began to talk and shortly he inquired of us "whose black Masi is that over there?" I replied it was mine. He informed us that he bought a Masi track bike back in 1956. That stimulated the conversation during which he mentioned that when he got the bike, he found a card inside the BB that was dated 1956 and had Falieros signature on it. I asked him what became of the bike and the card and he said he sold the bike to someone in PA who had the card framed. Cool. It turned into one of those funny conversations where the old guy was telling me about this guy he'd met in San Diego about 15 years ago who was into Masis and so on. I don't remember exactly how it came up, but it turned out he was talking about me! Once I realized that I introduced myself, and the old guy nearly fell backwards over the rail into the water! The look on his face was priceless. Charles and I thought that was really funny. As we departed, he yelled to me "Good bye, Brian!" to which I replied "Ciao!" We rode off to the final loop of a great road course that Peter Johnson and other Bay Area riders used to race on back in the day. The road was sort of narrow with very little shoulder and occupied by a few nervous drivers; but we made it without incident in the end.
I was beginning to feel my legs and our ride thus far was almost completely flat. We rode back through Sausalito and some of us missed a light while the main group rode on. We gave chase but somehow lost sight of them, it was as if they evaporated into thin air. I was riding with a local, Peter on a small Pinerello I believe, as we tried to get back to the group. Apparently the group had stopped at "A Bicycle Odessey" and were inside as we rode past head down trying to catch them. Someone stepped out after we rode past but the two of us didn't hear it. The others behind us got the picture, but I was convinced they were on the road ahead of us. Next thing I know we were climbing the hill that leads to the bridge. The weather was beginning to move in and it was getting colder and beginning to drizzle. I suffered heavily as I tried to make the summit; I barely made it but my legs were toast. My '62 Masi is fitted with a 47 T inner ring with a 28 T rear cog, which should be enough to get up that hill; but in my condition it was pure hell. Peter and I made it to the bridge where we decided to wait for the riders behind us. We waited, and waited and waited. I was sure the others would be right behind us; I went up the hill at a crawl. Certainly everyone else was in better shape than I. Peter wanted to wait longer but I was getting cold, water was falling on my favorite vintage machine, and true to my reputation, I was anxious to get moving again. BTW, for those who don't know me that way, I'm always the one who wants to get on the road on time, get riding again after a lunch or coffee stop, or after a mechanical problem. It's just the way I am.
Anyway, after standing near the bridge for 10 minutes or so and having talked to a few riders who were amazed to see a 40 year old bike on the road, I convinced Peter to get moving. There was a guy named Terry who was also with us from the group and I don't know where he was exactly but I think he was ahead of Peter and I and he came back to us I think. Anyway, we rode over the bridge and into the Presidio as we were nearly home. I was a hurtin' pup by that time. We got to the very last little rise before we were at the bike shop and my legs could take no more. Both legs cramped, probably due to lack of miles and my bad habit of not drinking enough water. Peter wainted for me as I walked about 100 yards and then I was able to remount and hobble to the finish. When we arrived at the bike shop I was absolutely flabbergasted that no one from our group was there! I just couldn't believe it. I felt that it was impossible for this to be. Peter and I stepped across the street and he graciously bought me a cup of coffee at Lava Java. I was beat, cold, confused; but happy to have survived nonetheless. As time passed I became more befuddled as to how it was that we were there but no one else was. Suddely the whole group appeared! They were indeed behind us and had spent a fair amount of time in the Bicycle Oddessy as we rode on thinking they were ahead of us. Another typical case of me having ants in my pants.
We wrapped it up as several people bought goods from American Cyclery, which is a very cool shop with some very friendly and helpful employees. They gave each of us on the ride a free Casati water bottle as a momento. As usual I was anxious to get on the road home and we finally got it all together and headed out of San Francisco. We decided to have dinner before heading too far south so the four of us; Matty, Brian Ignatin, Chuck, and myself stopped in Woodside, CA with Jan and Peter Johnson at a very unique eatery called Bucks. Again we dined, had a great meal and some good fun with great friends, and made ready to part company. The "thong show" from the meal the night before in SF was still fresh on the minds of those who were blessed with the sighting. There was some speculation as to wheather the young cutie who was attending the register was wearing thong underwear or something else. As we left, somehow one of us, who will remain unnamed, managed to pose the question to the young lady. The reply came in the form of the word "thong" written on the back of a Bucks business card! We inquired, why did she write it down? The answer; her mother also worked at the resturaunt and was standing beside her at the register at the time. She wrote it down for that reason. As we left the place we were totally cracking up. I am now in possesion of that card! Don't know why I got it, but it was handed to me. That, my friends, is why Chuck is grinning so big in the photo. We really know how to have fun when we all get together.
I finally made it home at about 3am Monday morning. What a trip! I want to see a lot more CR members at Veloswap next year and a lot more riders on the ride on Sunday. I need lots of help to get up those hills!
Brian Baylis La Mesa, CA Sorry it takes so long to write all of this, but it takes a head of steam to sit down and do it.