Made my first Copake last weekend. Rode out with classic & antique collectors from my area including Bob Jamison, a well respected restorer, who specializes in high wheels & hard tired safeties. Bob was recognized at the beginning of the auction for his contribution to the hobby.
Got to the Friday swap about 7:00am & most of the real action was over. Folks seemed to have acquired their prizes & were holding on to them. That was fine with me. Nice to see the CR folks - probably 20 people I knew.
The auction preview & auction were great fun. I bid on a few lightwights & ended up the second highest bidder. I thought I might get an AM7 Moulton spaceframe but Phil the Englishman wanted it more than me. I thought that the Alex Singer (chrome rust issues & all standard parts) went for what I thought was a high price($3,100?) to a left or phone bid.
I did buy an off topic bike - very ugly chipped up lime green piant, red chain guard Columbia/Westfield bike with a Bendix 2 speed lever shifted rear hub - for $10. Guys with me said it was too ugly to put on the van & too dirty to put it inside. They harassed me about it the whole way home.
Good times, lots of bike talk, learned lots about antique bikes & collecting. Definitely worth the trip. Hope to be at Memory Lane & Ann Arbor selling stuff next week.
Mike Self
Cincinnati, OH USA