The usual suspects attended, Roman Stankus on his Colnago, Taz Taylor and his white and blue Davidson, our new friend Paul, complete with vintage Motobecane, Philip Ozell with De Rosa and his son Elliott (I wish my 18 year old was as polite) on his must-be-early 90s. Sannini. We had one other person - I didn't catch his name, and Brian Sullivan on a lovely Bottecchia. Nick made a brief appearance, blessed us with ride maps, and me with some spiffy brake hoods and off we went in the biting cold and serious headwind. Nick went off to fulfill other commitments, probably secretly relived that he wasn't wrapped to the eyeballs in futuristic super-warm fabric like the rest of us.
Apparently the unnamed rider (friend of Phil's) was in pretty good shape because two packs developed right away, with him in it - and Brian, who rides a fixie, a lot. Elliott probably has future as a racer too.
I was NOT in the front pack.
Anyway, the only thing vintage about the bike I was riding was me and the Campagnolo two bolt seat post. I had to ride a new bike to evaluate it for the shop and my seat and post worked better than it's skinny-boy seat and post. Its not a bad bike for a fat tubed aluminum bike, thankfully painted black and without garish decals. At least my delicate sensibilities regarding aesthetics and bicycles were not horribly offended by it.
We had fun, we rode, had a tail wind on the way home, went and got food and chatted about bikes and stuff, pretty much till the time we separated. Seems like a wonderful way to spend a Sunday.
Ann Phillips
Decatur GA