Hey Cool Cats,
Ben Kamenjas here - formerly known as Ben Kamen from NYC. Same person but the missing letters were due more to paranoia than subterfuge. Long story > reads > no green card > gave up waiting.
Anyways, now hanging with my folks on the farm. Relaxed & with a mouth full of fresh white teeth. Just outside of Sydney, a place called Austral. No geographic relation to the cycling event known as the Austral Wheel Race (which is older than the Tour de France). Rolling hills and empty roads makes for a big change with regard to riding environment. Off saddle activities include bee-keeping, cheese making and chopping lotsa wood. Winter here - sunny & very mild. Then again I like extreme's.
Just starting to sniff 'round for classic bikes. Looks tougher than I expected but I got plenty of time & will post with pics and details of some local gems soonish. Thankfully, I opted to pack my DeRosa in a purpose built, and perhaps on topic bike case (yes it was both huge & heavy). It flew with me and all was perfect upon unpacking - to those who suggested doing so, I warmly thank you. Between my bike box (w/ extensive spares, tools and clothing) & my camera/computer gear & my adidas sneaker fetish & my skateboard I felt honored to have only been charged an excess of $200 - they could have charged more but they cut me some slack. Pays to smile I guess. Customs both there & here were interested in my bike - thumbs up from both.
So there ... just a quick spurt to say hello, inform of my new email address & surface should I have left anything outstanding with my cycling bro's back in the US of A. Any Aussie classic cycling punters & pontificators ... drop me a line, i gots questions & need a heads up for where to look for classic bits and pieces .... lets do a ride too !!! Le Cirque downunder ???
RE: Classic Rendezvous jersey ... I'd love one .... alas, the old one didn't do it for me. I love wool, love Classic Rendezvous but the jersey has to be pimpin' ....
anway, read you all soon.
ciao,
Ben Kamenjas bici_pimp@mac.com
Austral, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia