[CR] T-town, or Mr Tomato-head finally remembers to wear a hat

(Example: Framebuilders:Norman Taylor)

Date: Tue, 12 May 2009 17:35:36 -0500
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
From: "Larry Osborn" <losborn2@wvu.edu>
Subject: [CR] T-town, or Mr Tomato-head finally remembers to wear a hat


Greetings campers

Some days it's more important to maintain the delusions, and ignore the realities, so off I went around 2AM. Beautiful night to spend seated in the alter to the patron saint of the internal combustion tape deck (with cruise control). An insomniac's moon filtering through the clouds, thick fog, deer slicks everywhere. Great fun. The absence of a serious sunburn Sunday, or any T-town reports upon my return to computer world had me starting to wonder if I had just dreamt it all. Or maybe they gave a swap and nobody came. Hard to tell some days, what's real, and what's an illusion.

The primary delusion to maintain at the moment is the one that involves pretending I might actually need this junque some day, so I left mine at home again and turned my swap spot over to assorted squatters who actually wanted to sell stuff. Secondary delusion is that I might actually need MORE of this junque, so I purchased the few stray items that normally appeal to me. Just cannot walk away from a decent looking GB handlebar, no matter how many trips around the track it takes me to actually see it sitting there. In the silly purchases department, (not to be outdone by Artley's excellent impersonation of a Tom Witkop frame purchase), also purchased a pair of black anodized Dura Ace brake calipers I'll never use and didn't want, just to get the rear drop bolt. Not a bargain, but saves me a visit from the demonic Dr. Dremel, for now. Whew. Another old Brit-bike and I will be spared the installation of Weinmann 750s.

"Thanks for the backup", to Tom H & Charlie Y for examining a frame that had me puzzled when I couldn't pull the answers back out of my own memory banks. The name was familiar, but the details were all wrong. Same name, different country and different maker. Always more to learn, or re-learn. Somebody is going to be very disappointed when they discover what that frame really is. And questionable thanks to Walt for contaminating my favorite swap spot with cat fur. Thought I would be safe outside my bubble at least at T-town.

Despite a smallish turnout of vendors (there was a lot of vacant space on the grass infield) and generally decreasing amount of on-topic items available, we do manage to create our own fun. Not much new loot, but lots of laughs. A fun day with the kooks.

Larry "GB magnet" Osborn
Bruceton Mills, West Virginia - USA