[CR]ID bike

(Example: Framebuilding:Technology)

From: "ternst" <ternst1@cox.net>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Tue, 9 Dec 2008 21:48:58 -0800
Subject: [CR]ID bike

Otis asked about Bob my apologies, it's Don Ferguson. Don had a small custom shop in I think San Gabriel, Ca. I think he imported Cilo if I'm not mistaken, and maybe sold Sieber? That was before my time in California, only came outy in '60 after I got back from Europe and instaed of taking over Ted Sr.'s shop in Chicago, came out here and never went back. The reason I came to California was because back in 1931 before I was born, my dad rode from Corsicana, Texas to Los Angeles on his bike. It was either a Goosens or Wastyn, don't know. My mother and he were in New Orleans looking to find work after being in Chicago and finding nothing took the Greyhound down. After several months they found zilch and Mom decided to go back to Chicago, and try to find something . They were staying with my dad's aunt and Mom was going to see what she could do there and Dad decided to go west, still being young. He said that he always loved LA and just could find nothing to do but some very menial task stuff to survive. My mother wrote him saying she was pregnant and would he please make his way back east to Chicago, so he rode and hitched his way back home to Chi. where he opened his shop in 1934. I had heard all through the years every once in a while how much he liked it, so when I got back I decided to check it out and never went back, ending up in Manhattan Beach, shop, bike club and MB Grand Prix race founding sort of happened. 1-1/2 years after I came out he sold his building and finally got out here too, settling about 4 miles away, buying out an old timer, so we worked together in our separate shops till he retired. Back to Don Ferguson. His was kind off a recluse coot, ain't we all, and made the "56 Olympic team in the sprint in a surprise upset, being older with no seeding. But he was always quite fast and got in, along with Allen Bell, Dick Cortright, Jim Rossi, Jack Disney. When he closed up and not in good health, His stuff was bought out by some guy and it was a treasure trove of wood rims, and other oulde droolable loot. I don't know much about who got the stuff, and don't remember exactly what year it was, as I was busy doing my thing at times 7 days a week and a few 24 hour days also. Bike restoration and collecting was unfortunately not in my subconcious.

We were riding and using the stuff up in its' production years wearing the stuff out that guys wouuld trade their first born for today. Don't think Fergie was a Schwinny, his was a low key hideout.
Ted Ernst
Palos Verdes Estates
CA USA