Re: [CR]Cupertino Concours (looooong)

(Example: Racing:Jean Robic)

Date: Thu, 22 May 2003 14:22:29 -0700
From: "Chuck Schmidt" <chuckschmidt@earthlink.net>
To: CR <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: Re: [CR]Cupertino Concours (looooong)
References: <LOIPIOBKKEKDGDAA@mailcity.com>


As reported earlier, Brian Baylis and myself decided to attend Cupertino Bike Shop's 50th anniversary party; it's not everyday that a shop celebrates its fiftieth year in business.

The drive up in the middle of the night consisted of stimulating bike conversation interspaced with napping (whoever wasn't currently driving). Arrival was timed perfectly for breakfast with the Johnsons and departure for the show.

The show was in a nice secluded parking lot behind the shop so there was plenty of area to display all the bikes and walk around visiting and meeting list members. The high point of the show for me was seeing Frank Spivey's '63 Bianchi Specialissima with all the drillium parts he did back in 1968. Peter and I had visited him at his house, but I had never seen this fabled bike before. Jay and Tom's pictures capture some of the details:

http://photos.yahoo.com/jaysportif http://members4.clubphoto.com/tom313673/1327527/guest.phtml

and there are some more shots of some of the parts on my web site: http://www.velo-retro.com/spivey1.html

Following a catered lunch of BBQ'd ribs and turkey there was the awards presentation of the various categories with the high point for me being my silver '60 Cinelli S.C. winning Best of Show:

http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/6a2071de/bc/Cupertino+50th+anniversary+concours/__hr_DSCN0040.jpg?BCxN.y.AGw4HTdLU

It was made even more special because I had bought the frame, in the same area, as a basket case with damaged tubes and Brian had retubed, chromed, painted and decaled the frame. A beautiful restoration!

There were so many silver Cinelli S.C.s in attendance (Spence Wolfe imported Cinelli very early on so the event attracted them) that there could have been a "Silver Cinelli" category all its own!

At that point everyone packed up their bikes and got ready for the ride at 3pm. First stop was Spence Wolfe's house. The original location of the shop was his garage when the home has in the middle of nowhere surrounded by an orchard. Of course the area (Silicone Valley) is completely built up now 50 years later. Next the ride headed toward the hills with the predictable result of "guys feelin' frisky" as Brian likes to put it.

On the pretty climb up Mt. Eden (aptly named) I found myself off the front with Brad Stockwell. I should have known better when Brad offered the advice along the lines of "This is only a 1/3rd of the way up so you might want to take it easier..." Turns out in reality that we were only a little ways from the top! Good one Brad! This geezer won't be so easily fooled next time.

All the effort climbing was rewarded with a beautiful, tree lined, twisty descent back to the valley floor, regrouping and a leisurely ride back to the shop for some Sierra Pale on tap. Mmmmmmmmm.

After some more winding down, tall tales and goodbyes, Jay and Matt were on their way back to SoCal (round trip with no sleep, yikes). Brian was thinking of doing the same to miss the traffic (he'd get home at 2am) but Peter and Jan talked us into staying overnight and leaving at 6:30am so Brian would be home before 2pm.

Dinner was at a charming local eatery in Woodside that had the walls covered with chingaderas and tchochkis (two headed buffalo, soviet space suit, soap box derby car, collection of Cracker Jack toys... well you get the picture), followed by a drive back through the beautiful hills and bed.

Monday morning bright and early we drove home with zero traffic and speeds in the 80/85 region. What a fun weekend with great friends.

Thanks to Vance Sprock for a great event and Jan and Peter Johnson for a place to crash.

Chuck Schmidt L.A.

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