[CR]Regarding Ladies Cinelli for sale/ride story also

(Example: Bike Shops)

Date: Fri, 28 Feb 2003 21:14:17 -0800
From: "Brian Baylis" <rocklube@adnc.com>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]Regarding Ladies Cinelli for sale/ride story also

Dear Listmembers:

I have had several responces of interest in the Ladies Cinelli I mentioned earlier today. All parties want to know the size before going to the next step. Since I'm in San Diego and the frame is in Los Angeles, and the owner isn't in a position to take measurments; I have given the information to a listmember that lives a very short distance away from the frame. He was also among the first to respond and request the size. I have given him first shot to go see the frame in person and get the information. If he passes on the frame, I will take the rest of the requests in the order recieved until someone takes it.

I will await word on what the dimentions are and wheather the first party passes or not. I will keep the interested parties informed.

Thanks for looking.

Since I'm here I'll tell a story about a ride Pergolizzi and I went on today, along with a friend of Johns'. John has been hankerin' for a ride since we've had quite a bit of rain this past week or so. We figured we could sneek one in this morning. About 10am when they arrived at my house the sky was "uncertain". John was determined to get out on the road regardless of what we encountered weatherwise. His friend is just getting back on a bike after many years away from cycling. He rode JTPs' Cannondale MTB, John rode the Rivendell(no offence John, but the color of that bike gives me the same feeling as having a dead fish in my cycling shorts), and I rode my '73 Colnago super.

John forgot his tights. He was fortunate enough though, to have a long sleeve wool jersey on. His friend was not outfitted with cycling clothes and had both short pants and shirt for the ride. These two are from NY. I, on the other hand, had on my bib shorts, fleecelined bib tights, a t-shirt, along sleeve t-shirt, a long sleeve lycra jersey, and a windbreaker jacket. I also wore an Italian wool cycling hat and several layers of newspapers on my chest. By the time we were ready to roll the sky had begun to look dark. We hit the road, I was toasty warm.

We headed for the base of Mt. Helix as I often do as I start out on a loop somewhere. We rode around it until we entered El Cajon where the roads are lightly traveled scenic rolling hills, green with lots of trees. Nestled in these quaint neighborhoods are nice homes. We were getting rained upon to some degree or another almost from the start of the ride. By the time we were out in the hilly parts of El Cajon the rain was comming down nicely at times. It was reasonably warm rain and it was quite nice to ride in the rain under these conditions. It has been probably 20 years since I've been out on my bike in the rain, but John was having a ball. I was concerned about Peter but it truned out that he is into mountaineering. No doubt he has a different deffinition for cold.

We really had fun, talked a lot, saw some nice roads to ride on, stopped in to see JB for a minute just before we got back to my place. There was also a dessert at the end of this ride. For those who don't know John or haven't ever ridden with him, please allow me to explain what he is like as a rider. I suspect most of us know someone like John because it seems there is at least one in every group. He reminds me of one of my friends locally, ironically, his name is John also. Pergolizzi is the bike racer that never quits. There is no such thing as a ride that is not "racing" to some degree in Johns' mind. He is conscious of every summit, city limit sign, etc. He is never not racing to himself, even if other riders aren't riding or thinking that way. Our Sunday rides end up like this as well. It's a guy thing. It's also racing mentality; it never leaves some people. It is part of every aspect of their life in people like John.

What this means is that anytime you ride with John there is a race, even if it is only the final 200 meters of a 50 mile ride, there is going to be a "finish". To John, the words "finish" and "sprint", are one and the same. Doesn't matter if the finish is up, down, sideways, or thru a loop; as far as John is concerned it will be a sprint. The land around here is fairly hilly so we spent a fair amount of time climbing. I'm never really up for it but it's a fact of life in this area. I'm always beat by the time I get home. Unfortunately, the final .2 mi to my house is up this short steep curvey hill. Not much fun on my bike, especially when tired. As we approach this final climb by coasting downhill for a ways, I can tell John is thinking about getting there first. I figure what the hell, the LAST place I want to race is UP a damn hill. I let John round the corner first while I shift to my lowest cog and the small chainring. As I follow john around the corner I see him head down and struggleing to hit the low gear which hasn't been going in well. I figured I'd dog him since I was ready to go; so I sucker punched him and spun standing up past him at full speed. I gained what I knew would be a nearly impossible to close gap. The hill was still mostly ahead. I was in my lowest gear and, knowing John as I do, knew that he would not give up; so I continued to give it everything I had. I was suffering, gasping, screaming, to get everything I had out before the "finish" at the top. Suddenly, out of nowhere I could see Johns' shadow comming up behind me. He was grunting louder and harder than I was. I nearly crapped my shorts, but I pressed harder but could spin my gear no faster. I fought, I clawed, I prayed, all to no avail! Somehow, that SOB caught me by about an inch at the line. He told me that at first we were in same gear and he wasn't gaining on me. So he went to shift up one but he caught two gears. That's what it took to make up the gap. That and a big pair of huevos. By the time I saw the shadow I felt like he had roped me and I had stopped in my tracks as he rode past me. I've NEVER seen or ridden with anyone more determined than John. Holy Crap! He's right up there with some of my other friends. Really fun to ride like this. Friendly/competative is what racers do if and when they are not racing. It's a blast. John paid me back right away for putting the move on him down below. He made me pay the price for being one gear too low in this case. I'm giving up sprinting John; I'll have to find another way to beat him. I hear Silca pumps work good.

After the sprint my tougne got wound up in my front wheel and I nearly crashed. John picked up the lung I dropped on the way up the hill for me. I nearly had to call for oxygen by the time I made it to my driveway. Boy that was fun! Naturally John says "we'll have to come out here and do this again". I respond, "sure John, just call me the next time it rains!" They went home, I went into intensive care.

Sunday up to Alpine, weather permitting.

Brian Baylis
La Mesa, CA