Gatherings like the Cirque are really all about the people. What a great tribe this has become. I had more enjoyable, funny, informative, enlightening and pervasive conversation, with more unique individuals, than I could ever recount in a report such as this. And the interaction that takes place when people of like minds get together, let loose and enjoy themselves, is just amazing. The Championship Race Game episode is certainly a moment that stands out. It was so spontaneous and uproarious that it just sucked in everyone that was around. With all the betting, yelling, screaming and jumping up and down that was going on, I expected the vice squad to bust through the doors at any moment. I had thought the game would be an amusement, but had not anticipated the magnitude. I got the game from my good friend Rex Gilmore while he was clearing out some of his excess bike loot. (A quick aside here - Rex's father, I also learned this weekend, worked with Dave Staub at Schwinn. Small world, ain't it! Where else would this great info come to light!!! - See what I mean about personal interaction!). Anyway, I remanded custody of the game to another good friend and new CR geek James "Giacomo" Bellora. If you ever see Giacomo's race memorabilia decorated basement, you'll understand why the game belongs there. After playing with the game in Giacomo's basement (there were a couple Martini's involved, if I remember correctly), I knew the game had to make an appearance at the Cirque. It was obviously the right move. I've been asked to bring it back again next year, but I suspect that with the spontaneity gone, it won't be the same. We'll see if it makes a return appearance, but we might have to think up new tricks for next year!
Can the seminar series get any better? Not a clinker in the bunch! I made sure I was front and center, so as to not miss anything. Turned out to be a good thing when Brett Horton said "I only have a few of these brochures" and was nearly crushed in the stampede. I had already seen Jeff Groman's amazing short video "trailer" for his soon-to-be-released full length program on "The Sixes", but seeing it again just reinforced how much I want to see the completed version. What an amazing ride it must have been collecting information and conducting interviews for this endeavor. I was wondering about how Alan Bernstein would tie together Bicycle Aerodynamics and Sex, but soon realized how closed related they are (I won't go there). In a similar vein, Chris Kvale showed how art, craftsmanship and engineering converge in something we all love. Grant Petersen, often thought of as quirky and eccentric, came across as just one of us, someone who loves bikes, is very unassuming, and a bit quirky and eccentric. I hate to pick a "favorite", but I have to admit that I was somewhat mesmerized by Peter Johnson's talk. Peter, who said he was uncomfortable speaking "in public" and about his "life and involvement" with bicycles, came across as just the opposite, someone both comfortable with his love of bicycles and with finding others that share his feelings. What was exposed in Peter's talk was his passion for bikes. A passion he had to pursue, with whatever means available, from a very young age. Peter is what most of us feel, personified. In fact, the common thread among all the presenters was their passion for the sport, the craft, the device and the camaraderie of the union of like minded souls.
Of course, there's the zaniness too! Pergolizzi as auctioneer, in the middle of the night (and after the crowd is "well lubricated"), pounding out "SOLD" with a saddle and seatpost in place of a gavel, on the elevator lobby table (don't tell the hotel). Ray Etherton with orange hair. Brian in full blush mode. Jan trying to get her fallen rider back into the electric race game. At one point we actually chained a little munchkin to a work-bench in an incredibly hot little box, and made him file on lugs like a madman while a crown stood around and jeered. Where else are you going to find this kind of entertainment?
Obviously, however, the "Big Day" has to arrive sooner or later. Sunday dawned bright and early for the Swap and Show. Since I had managed to unload and play with almost all the bikes I brought, I had to get an early start shoe-horning them back into their assigned spaces for the journey to the Rec Center. After catching up with Karen, Lou and Ted, my usual pre-show breakfast buddies, for a quick bite, we were off and running. In order to avoid an even more serious panic, I've learned to forgo the morning's ride in order to have time to unload, set up and look over the shoulders of the early-birds already digging through each other's bins as they're being opened. About the time the doors opened to the general public several of us realized that Mary Richardson, due in part to Dale's foot mishap, had a huge pile of Mike's junque, all with no prices and no idea of what prices should be. A few of us were able to jump in and help price things, afraid the vultures would descend and pick the bones clean before Mary knew what happened. Thanks to all the others who helped with that situation. Speaking of Mike and Mary, what a touching moment when Dale received the Mike Richardson award. There really wasn't a dry eye in the house as we all felt the moment of both loss and appreciation.
My booth was next to Jan and Peter's, which meant I was next door to the center of the universe. Jan draws people to her like the proverbial moths to flame. All I had to do was watch the show and bask in the overflow. And of course, Peter was ever in the background, emerging just at the right moment to provide wisdom, humor and insight. At one point, Peter looked over at the two Charles Martin bikes I had on display, went and took a closer look, and said "I know that guy. He's a weird Harley biker-dude machinist, who built about a dozen bikes in the mid seventies." This is after I've been searching for info and tracing dead-end leads for a couple years looking for some insight about the builder. Again, where else could this type of thing happen? It's cosmic, I tell you.
Oh yea. There were a bunch of bikes on display too. About a gazillion of them. I couldn't even see them all. I think I was blinded by the light. I would make the rounds of the display area, only to run into someone who would say "did you see the ____", which I had missed, so I'd have to go back and search it out. Could there be too many bikes to see? What an amazing array. Not only were there some of the most amazing American bikes on display, arguably among the best in the world, but many of those best builders were just there hanging out. I did decide that there were too many bikes to take pictures of them all. I chose instead to try and shoot a few pix of CR members basking in the joy on the moment. I'll forward those to Dale soon.
The final gathering for Indian food on Sunday night was just another jewel in the crown. Great conversation, more connections made (Dave Staub also knows my friend Ed, who introduced me to Rex, who....well, you get the whole six degrees of separation thing).
And then, like a flash, it's all over. I'm cruising back to Northern VA, stereo blastin', already reminiscing about what a blast the whole thing was. Too much to even remember it all, let alone retell it. I want to think about VR 03, but know I'll be out of the country for work and won't be able to make it. So, I'll have to be satisfied with fond remembrances of the fast few days and looking forward to doing it all again next year.
I can hardly wait.
Thanks to all.
Wayne Bingham
Falls Church VA