cousin harv, a very "Chance, the gardener" observation. i look forward to the replys. e-RICHIE Being There, in Chester, CT
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> HM & SS Sachs <sachs@erols.com> writes: In the Zen of Motorcycle Maintenance, Pirsig's central metaphor was the contrast between the one who both rides and works on motorcycles, and the other, who sees the motorcycle as the means to the end of travel. Decades ago, at the beginning of the US tandem growth phase (late 1970s), every rally featured a "broken spoke" or equivalent award for the team that had the worst breakdowns. Tandems, whether factory (Schwinn) or custom (Taylor) were acknowledged to be do-it-yourself projects; it wasn't until both mountain bikes (sturdy parts) and Santana that one could expect a tandem to be pretty reliable. With that transition, a lot of new people came into the sport, which is great, but it is also noteworthy that they didn't see the tandem community as a band of brethren persecuted by mechanical failures. Many of us old-timers (pioneers) felt that the newcomers (farmers) weren't as eager to volunteer to lead rallies, etc. Probably not true, but a perception. What does all this have to do with Cirque? I got the general sense that sales of parts were not as brisk as in some years. Either high end or my "experienced" stuff. I just wonder if this represents the flip side of a transition: more interest in complete, high-end bikes, and relatively less in "projects." I don't know, and I don't mean either "farmer" or "pioneer" to be taken as a put-down term, but a personality type. But, I thought that some of you might have opinions in this area that the rest of us would benefit from hearing. Or enjoy....
harvey sachs, feeling a glow of the great experience last week, but a litle introspective, too.