Sunday Already???
Up early Sunday after a late Saturday and Im feeling the effects of the pace. I start grinding away on the remaining real world work that has to be done before Monday, trying to finish in time for the 0800 ride. About 0645, its clear I wont make it. Do I risk getting fired, or skip the ride? At Cirque, this is a very tough choice. I go down to the lobby to decide. Roy Drinkwater is swaning about, natty in a long sleeve jersey and his Franken-bike A-D fixie, looking for a morning ride partner. Without Colonel Lou, the Dawn Patrol has fallen apart. Hmm, if I ride right now, I could be back to the hotel about, lets see, then go up to the swap and finish typing on the laptop during the drive home --- NO NO NO Ive got to work! I wish Roy good hunting, pass the keys to the van to Maasland so he can load his swap stuff, and get back to work. Perhaps in a bit of good karma for being sensible, it starts raining hard fairly soon. But Id rather be riding. Note to self: next year, finish all work before Cirque. Also, bring bike with fenders.
At 0900 I help Maasland transport his trade goods to the rec center, carry in my two show bikes (Dale notices a squashed bug on the Ephgrave, making me blush), help Steve set up and then I make tracks back to the Battleground for a do or die typing session. I refuse to get up until done, and finally finish about 10:50. I rush back to the Rec Center, just in time to see the Course en Tete from the metric century ride in.
Into the Rec. Center we go, and, as always, its an overwhelming visual experience. Gorgeous bikes everywhere, swap tables with nifty stuff in every nook, legendary frame builders are yakking with potential customers all over the place, and Dale out front wrangling everything. I know he probably is sick to death of attaboys and way to gos, but Attaboy Dale, and Way To Go! And Im glad you didnt lacerate yourself this year.
It looks like folks took Dales advice and restrained themselves from entering multiple bikes (sorry for my two, Dale) as the floor isnt packed to a claustrophobic level like last year, but this really improves the experience. Its much easier to move around and examine the bikes, and there was neither a fall off in quality nor any lack of interesting bikes to ogle. I wander around in a happy daze, restraining myself with an iron will from table scrounging, as the last thing I need are another frame to build up or an interesting part that requires a frame. I buy some Weinmann levers I need, and a Park brake centering tool, a set of Talia Lempert post cards, and subscribe to Asphalt, and thats it. Im so proud of myself.
Oh, I did spring for custom portraiture of the Ephgrave and Wizard. Many thanks for Ken Toda for doing this, as well as being the official Cirque photographer. Ive been looking at the pics of my babies off and on now for two days, and the Toda artistry shows more beauty than I knew existed in either machine. Dale, could we get a page of the Toda portraits up some day? It would be an excellent summary of the Cirque. I always ran over to the studio when I saw the boys shooting, as that meant that something wonderful was under the lights.
Not much more to tell. I chatted with Richard Schwinn, chewed the rag with Chris Kvale about maybe springing for a modern frame (made after 1981, currently the newest bike I own), debated with Pat Brady about how many American bikes have won major Euro races (does Hampsteads Huffy badged Landshark count as one or two?) wondered where Jerry Moos found some gold anodized non Mafac brake levers, absolutely fell in love with Paul Raleys Jack Taylor, and generally coasted through the day in a happy daze. My only serious haggling was trying to persuade Jan Johnson to swap her Peter Johnson straight up for my Baylis Wizard. She actually may have thought about it, and I may actually have been serious, but I dont know for sure what I would have done if she had said yes.
All too soon, Dale was announcing that it was time for the CR portrait. I crowded onto the high bleacher, and then crowed some more as team Toda kept waving us in tighter and tighter. Some jokers were holding chain ring halos over Dale and Pergolizzis heads. Finally, when everyone exhaled and held it, the picture was taken. The awards were then announced and it was time for Maasland and me to cram everything back into the van and roll. On the road at 3:50, it was straight up midnight when we reached Moorestown, and I lose my co-pilot. Thanks, Steve couldnt have made it without you. 0130 Monday morn, Im back home and collapse into bed. Its the end of Cirque, 2004.
Tom Adams, still sleepy in Shrewsbury NJ
Keep the rubber side down, folks, I want to see you all back in Greensboro next year.