[CR]NAHBS - Thanks all - and Fuji update...

(Example: Framebuilding:Restoration)

Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2008 18:59:44 -0800
From: "Rich Pinder" <rpinder@usc.edu>
To: classic <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: [CR]NAHBS - Thanks all - and Fuji update...

What a great three days here in Portland these have been. I'm looking out the hotel, and the sun is out, it's windy and cool - but after a rainy friday night start, the weekend turned really nice (well, nice for February in Oregon, thats for sure !)

Don - thanks for doing this great show again. This city is alive with cycling, and the attendees seemed in awe of what is going on with the marvelous builders keeping traditions alive. More photos will be posted for sure, and this year's event book is again a great resource for eye candy.

Thanks to Larry Myers and the folks at the Recyclery for hosting the Saturday night beer and pizza part and swap meet and goodtime cameraderie party. I't nice to meet up with friends on the list, and also to put some names and faces together as well. With a lot of help, there was a whole room full of great vintage bikes to oogle over, and several display cases were loaded with catalogs, memorobelia and parts. I think some parts have changed hands and are now headed to their new homes and new projects as well !!

I also thank Larry letting me bring the Fuji over before the event to do some modificaitons. In preperation for the return visit this summer, the fuji got new Pasela 1 1/4 tires, salmon cool stops for the (crumby!) canti brakes, adjusted the blackburn rack so that the saddlebags ride correctly, AND finished mounting up the VeloOrange 45mm adonized and pre drilled aluminum fenders. Chris - I hoped I'd be able to see you at the show and thank you in person for these fantastic fenders - I must say, for a novice like me, who hasnt mounted many fenders before, the mounting kit worked lik a charm. And after some saddle time, not one little click, bump, rub !! See the photos, or check them out on VeloOranges website: http://www.velo-orange.com/veor45an.html

On a cool, misty Sunday morning the Fuji took me on an inaugural ride. Today Rapha clothing (http://www.rapha.cc) hosted a 7:30am ride, which Aaron L and I found out (when we arrived) involved 40 miles and 4,000' of climbin !! Judging by the young and strong bunch that I was sippin coffee at 7:00, this was not exactly going to be a mellow little social ride. Grueling for my old bones, but an absolutely FABULOUS route taking you up along a popular road called SkyLine ride. Yup... it was really a training ride - after a muddy fire road, long ascent and a few miles along the spine - we dropped all the way down - and DID another climb right back up! At one intersection, Lance Armstrong passed Aaron as he was waiting for me to come up - he was in town for the show, and out for a little spin as well. Thanks to all the folks at Rapha for hosting this ride. Every time I use my two Rapha water bottles on SoCal rides, I'll think of this day.

And lastly - thanks to John S for graciously hanging on the Fuji until July when I return to this fantastic cycling city, and begin the ride back to California with the Tourer IV!

Rich Pinder Van Nuys, ca

http://www-hsc.usc.edu/~rpinder/fujitourer.html