A couple of weeks back I posted a concern about transporting my Viking back East for our extended family Christmas. Didn't have to. Both Harvey Sachs and Larry Black offered me wheels (another perc with this list) to help ease the climate/culture shock. Thank you both. I connected with Larry as he was only 40 minutes away. Several wanted to hook up for rides including Ken Sanford and Meade Anderson. It'll have to wait for the summer guys. All I was thinking was bike plans, everyone else in the family was thinking Christmas. To make a long, bizarre story short, I tell my sister-in-law that I need to hook up with this Larry fella who owns Mt. Airy Bicycles. Her eyes widen and she says "Larry Black?!" Turns out she worked for him at Georgetown Cycle 25 years ago. We head down there and after a joyful reunion and walk down memory lane, Larry presents me with a Mavic/Campy equipped 1982 Holdsworth Special in a 68 inch fixed and fenders. The bike looks new. It is new! Larry has several of these frames NOS and they're to drool for. So the next week was spent escaping for a couple of hours each day as I explored the country lanes of old Maryland around the Poolesville/Dickerson area. You'd be surprised the incline a 68 inch fixed can climb. My legs were. I was living in a New World Frank Patterson dream (except for the SUVs). It's tough to convey ride qualities. Let's just say is that it's got the perfect combination of design and material that gives a sprightly yet comfy ride. It has that spring-like bounciness that makes the steel frame such a joy to ride. So thanks to Larry and everyone else I emailed back there. Now how do I convince my wife that I need another frame?
Craig Montgomery in Tucson where it's warm