[CR]T-town

(Example: Humor)

Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 13:02:38 -0400
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
From: "Larry Osborn" <losborn2@wvu.edu>
Subject: [CR]T-town

Greetings campers and daydream believers

I always go to T-town prepared for the traditional weather, with parka and hip-waders. 33-degrees up on the mountain as I headed east and downhill, but eventually enjoyed a spectacular spring day, worth frying the top of my little popo to be warm and dry for a change. Received a gentle reminder of what a gift the weather was when several vendor tents simultaneously did very convincing imitations of tumbleweeds.

Scored a little stash of early 70s BuyCycling ragazines to restore a few more of those lost memories, or at least restore some sort of time frame to several of the things I think I remember. One brief look at the shopping list, then folded it up and put it away for the day. Just wasn't going to happen. Gotta keep the expectations realistic. Picking through the little pile of loot Sunday, with clearer vision and clearer head that comes from a full nights sleep, wondered why I even carry a caliper and tape measure if I'm not going to remember to use them. A few usable and consumable odds & ends and experiments, only a couple cheap mistakes. At the very least after all these years it should be a reflex to read the length that's stamped on the back of crankarms. (Now the proud owner of NOS 175 mm Sugino AT crankarms, but need 170s. Anybody who would like to swap ATs, Specialized, or other similar 170 triple arms, bring 'em to the Cirque.). And I swear on a book of Rebour drawings, I only bought the wheel with the radially laced bladed spokes to get the hub. My riding companions would dial 911 if I showed up riding a wheel like that. And my LBS would refuse to sell me a replacement for the missing spoke. All part of the personal safety net.

Banged heads with several familiar bald spots reaching into the same box very early in the game, and we all came up for air with something in our hands. I have to admire anybody who can still crouch or bend over, especially after hours in the car, and the thought of doing the swaps with a large shop vac is gaining a certain appeal. But I digress..... Only moments after that frenzy, while I was still paying for my little handful, had to smile when pal Harvey just walked on by, having witnessed the event and realizing there was no point whatsoever in stopping to see if there was anything left.

Also entertaining to stand back and watch a couple rookies' first encounter with several of my least favorite vendors, and smile quietly to myself enjoying the full volume of their reaction. Yeah, I could have warned them, but where's the fun in that? There are just some things people have to learn for themselves, the hard way.

And thank you so much Walt, for inserting me into YOUR twisted little fantasies. I know, I am just here on earth to take the blame. War, floods, famine, & pestilence come to Trexlertown, it's Larry's fault. Meteor hits Morgantown, I am a meteor magnet. Living room and kitchen counter hopelessly cluttered with bike crappe until after the Cirque, yeah, okay, I'll take the blame for that.

And as if being stuck in this vintage bike time warp isn't bad enough, had my masculinity even more seriously threatened on the way home by some Evil Knevil wannabe / future organ donor passing me doing an 80 mph motorcycle wheelie through Harrisburg. Never felt the need myself to impress total strangers in interstate traffic, or do a wheelie on anything, but I was tired and bored and for a brief moment thought maybe this guy knew something I didn't. So I stomped on the gas pedal, popped the clutch, and immediately discovered the one drawback to all-wheel drive. Subarus won't wheelie. Oh MAAAAAAaaaaaaan! I'm working on it though. Hope to have it figured out in time for the Cirque. Maybe if I just pile enough bike junque in the rear........ So if you see a Subaru on 2 wheels somewhere between the Battleground and any of the Cirque destinations, hide the women and children. War, floods, famine, & pestilence are right behind me. And meteors. Watch the sky.

As always, a fun day in the sun with some of my favorite kooks. Larry "Evil" Osborn Bruceton Mills WV (until the brush fires get it)