You can't say that these bikes are trailer queens! Not only did they get ridden, but ridden in the wet! The weather could have been a bit better in the East this weekend, but we had our biggest crowd descend on Parkton yet. I'd asked people to bring extra bikes to show off, and was wowed at the bikes brought for ogling. The ride was to start at ten, but the people coming the farthest were the first to arrive at around 8:30 am. Paul and Rita Lee and Larry Osborn arrived around 8:30. Tom Adams showed shortly after and it all started to build from there. Because it was so gray out, we started setting up bikes in the carport. Tom brought four, his most recent Stan Pike, the recently acquired Algurn, his Ephgrave and his brand new Pacenti lugged Goodrich. All beautiful bikes, but I really liked the original finish and cool lugs of the Algurn. Paul and Rita brought several bikes including that Geoffrey Butler gotten from Sam Fitzsimmons for a song at the Cirque (boy, did I miss out on that one!), really pretty the way it was set up. Larry had a cool Carlton from 1961. A wise few brought bikes with fenders (more on that later). And then it all just mushroomed. I expected a small turnout with the latest weather forecast, but it all ended up with a group nearing 25 riders. In honor of my recently deceased friend Tom Bruni, I asked friends and listees to bring Bruni bikes to show. There was a collection of two tandems and four singles, the farthest coming from Long Island with Paul and Rita. Harvey Sachs and I said a few words about Tom, I gave some info about the cue sheet and we were off. After a light shower stopped, we started around 10:30 on wet roads, and of course split up with different paces almost at once. While riding next to fixers complaining about the first two back-to-back hills, things flattened a bit and we caught our breath. The roads started to dry out, Rita commented on the nice scenery, and the riders started to pick up speed. Shortly the vagaries of my cue sheet turned up. Around ten miles into the ride and bringing up the rear, I watched a group way out of my reach who'd turned right instead of left, heading for that really big downhill that I'd avoided climbing when I was planning the cue sheet. Pete Geurds rallied a sprint on his Raleigh Grand Prix with SA AW hub and blew past me to intercept the wayward group of what turned out to be a dozen or more riders. Luckily * or unluckily, they'd stopped mid hill for Jim Sheridan who'd double flatted after hitting a rock on his Ibis Scorcher. The ride got back under way enjoyably. The fixed riders all seemed to be riding at least as well as those with gears; apparently all climbed the one short steep one that I walked in my fixed test ride last week. Then, with 5-6 miles before the end we felt a few drops that settled into a not too heavy steady rain. I was admiring the hammered Honjos on Rita's Raleigh International and thinking they'd look good on my latest project bike. We were riding a fairly flat ridge leading to the two and a half mile downhill to the finish. I finally pulled shades off so I could see and was rewarded with the rain feeling like needles on the way down the last hill. Just a block or so from the finish we came across the lead group, Wayne Bingham, Peter Kohler and a few other of the faster guys trying to decipher my last cue in the rain. And all those fabulous bikes, the green Baylis, Peter's perfect Raleigh Team Pro, Ken's so nice Cinelli SC and all those other cool bikes dripping there in the rain. Refreshments had already been cracked by the time I got in. And the party started. Barb got home early from work and had a good time talking rather than helping her husband's party get underway. 8o) Actually Barb was up late the night before preparing food, making bouquets with the local wildflowers and just helping out enormously. I'm a lucky guy! The deck got crowded and the table was set. Rita Lee helped set up too, so many wonderful people! Quite a few had brought food and drink and it was a hungry crowd, a bit of baked beans and crème pie was pretty much all that was left at the end. That, and I ended up with as much unopened beer as I started with (not including a full garbage bag of recycled bottles), many thanks to the bearer of the unopened sampler of Dundee's, one of Barb's favorites. There were about six other local riders, most of whom were together with me on Bike Virginia, one of the hillier one's they'd done. Bob Moore, a former president of the Baltimore Bicycle Club and another rider obsessed with bikes, turned 71 that week. Four of the Bruni's were with this group. Another buddy, Phil, was asked about the manufacturer of his 64 Dunelt (was it Raleigh?) that he'd had since he was a kid. An introduction to one of our resident Raleigh experts, Larry Osborn was in order. Deb Taylor was taking photos of the Bruni's for an album for Tom's wife as a remembrance for many of the bikes that Tom had built. He'd never taken any pictures himself. Paul Raley brought his beautiful, all original Jack Taylor Tour of Britain, that I'd thought he might be interested in selling. Nope, it's a keeper, but then Tom Adams was looking for a tape measure for Ken Sanford who was interested in his Ephgrave. There were too many nice bikes to mention, but I'll try at the end (except for those unobtainium and non-classic models). Since no one else brought bikes up to the porch, I pulled a few bikes out to line the deck, a Raleigh Pro I'd been working on (a rider, not too correct), the Paramount track, Jack Taylor road/path and Bruni tandem. You've GOTTA have bikes sitting around for people to see while talking bikes and stuff. The Tour's stage finished up pretty early and the crowd mostly moved outdoors into the steamy weather. The more distant riders had to start leaving for the long ride home, and the party started to slow down. I got to show off the shop and bikes. I've got an early '60's Viking, recently purchased from Tom Hayes that I'd wanted to have ready for this ride. Murphy's law got in the way, but I had it at least put together enough to get a better idea of what it'll be like. I want Barb to see other people's collections to show that I'm not quite over the edge, but was flattered when someone, I think it was John Gorham, made that comment about mine. Just wait a couple years John, they just seem to start adding up! Paul Raley was admiring my Sachs after the ride and I was telling him how I'd hoped he'd have brought his new one. I THINK we came to an agreement to trade Richard Sach's for a day's ride, he on my tourer and me on his new road bike. We seem to be identical fits. I just may be able to keep up with him that way. Harvey Sachs brought that really cool 38 Paramount track bike, but wouldn't be persuaded to bring it out of the car in the weather, quite a switch from the bike that got ridden with impunity before the restoration. ;^) As bikes were clearing out, I got a closer look at the Stinsman tandem that Joanne and Marilyn had brought, really pretty details, fully lugged, two sets of pencil thin twin laterals, a rear set of track ends with a hanger and really pretty paint. The wheels were really like race wheels and rims with extra spokes drilled and built in, and I think Hi-E hubs. Wow! And it happened again. I took a bunch of bike pictures at the beginning and carried the camera around for the ride without pulling it out and forgot about it for the rest of the day. Please if anyone took photos digitally, e-mail them to me and I'll post them for all to see. Before everything wrapped up, Wayne treated me to a ride in his little VW R32, and Mike Rawlings had been treated to a test drive in Bob Moore's Z-3 Beemer. A good time was had by all. Clean up was a pleasure for such a great time! A list of riders and their bikes as best as I can do (I kept a list): Dave Shook, Fredericksburg, Va.. Miyata 1000LT Jim and Ellen Sheridan, and son Ethan from Baltimore, Ibis Scorcher (with an insane 50x15 gear) and friend Gordon Walsh riding fixed. And Jim, A doctor friend of Ellen's too on one of those cheesey lightspeeds. Peter Kohler, Washington DC, 1980 TI Raleigh Team Pro Ed Granger, Lancaster, Pa., '73 P13-9 Paramount John Barry, Mechanicsburg, Pa. 1973 (or is it '74), Fuji The Finest Pete Geurds" Douglassville, Pa. Raleigh Super Grand Prix converted to S-A hub and another Raleigh to look at. Mike Rawlings "Williams" Custom built by Joe Williams. Harvey Sachs, McLean VA, Weigle Rondonneur, and '38 Paramount track bike Ken Sanford, Kensington, MD, Cinelli Super (Speciale?) Corsa Paul Raley, Leonardtown MD, Jack Taylor Tour of Britain Joanne Crowell, and Marilyn Jolly, Baltimore, Custom John Stinsman Tandem, and two Bruni singles Deb Taylor, and Doug Newlon, Laurel MD, Deb Riding a Bruni, Doug a modern Aluminum something or other. Tom Adams '49 Ephgrave, '05 Goodrich, an '82 Stan Pike as well as the '54 Algurn. Wayne Bingham, Lovettsville, VA The new green Pacenti lugged Baylis! Paul and Rita Lee, Huntington, NY Geoffrey Butler, Italvega Super Speciale (ex Tom Adams), Rita's Internation al with hammered Honjo fenders, and a gold Raleigh Pro. John Gorham, Frederick MD, Quickbeam Phil Hack, Baltimore, '64 Dunelt 3 sp. SA AW. Larry Osborn, Bruceton Mills, WV, '61 Carlton Bob Moore, Baltimore, Batavus road bike with 34 tooth rear and Campy Rally, the record looking one, and a Colnago track bike, never drilled for brake. Bill Hale, Washington, DC , Alpine fixed conversion and Falcon track bike. Goon, Koch and his wife Tsien?, with Goon riding fixed. A late show, I never got to see their bikes. Many thanks to all who came. It made for a wonderful day. I had the best time! Hope cleaning up the bikes isn't too much of a chore. Dan Artley in lovely, but a bit humid Parkton, Maryland
ps: There were a few items left if anyone wants them back. A red plastic tape measure, a bike stand just like the one I've been looking for (I'll pay for it! Can I get more? or do you really want it back?), and an isulated green coffee mug.