Greetings campers and Cirque survivors
Still tired, totally overwhelmed at work for the foreseeable future, so when the heck am I going to find time to look at everybody's pictures?! Oh well, I have all winter.
Let me start by stating for the record, in no uncertain terms, no matter what you've heard or what doctored photos you've seen or will see in the future, I did NOT purchase that bike at the auction. Nothing against the frame builder, but the paint was beyond hideous and annoying. Even I have some aesthetic standards to uphold. I'd re-adopt and ride the infamous Meral before I'd contaminate my little world with that thing.
Meanwhile, back at the rant: Frequent Cirque cell-mate and swap-bud Mike Self staged through at the shack in the woods a few days early, but without his customary van load of swap stuff. No pre-Cirque looting for me. Haven't noticed anything missing from my house, but I did keep the garage and basement locked, so apparently no pre-Cirque looting for Mike either.
Recently discovered that in addition to almost everything else on the planet, I'm allergic to silver (no more lug licking) and aluminum (no more 'luminum licking). Haven't been able to ride the last couple years so this just sort of completes the set. And adds a whole new risk factor to my usual bottom feeding activities. Not wearing a haz-mat suite to the swaps yet, but that could happen. Cosmic retribution for something, but I can't imagine what. Maybe all those years of fondling bicycle and airplane parts, but I swear, it was all consensual. Some additional exciting and potentially emergency room worthy symptoms developed earlier in the week, but nothing I hadn't survived before. My standard advice to others when confronted with choices involving anything less than potentially permanent or fatal consequences is usually, "Go anyway". Sometimes I just have to ignore reality and listen to my own advice. I've done sillier things.
Engaged in some high risk eating behavior anyway, trying not to run out of energy before the end of the event, and got away with only one minor poisoning from outside food. Was not about to pass up MJ & Co.'s "lavish desserts" Saturday night. Quite a treat for somebody for whom food is often the equivalent of kryptonite. I did avoid whatever that item was with the transparent acid green layer of something unnatural on top. I have a rule about not eating anything that's actually the color of kryptonite/anti-freeze/Merals. Just a precaution. And somebody else had already made the traditional visit to the reserved Cirque suite at the emergency room. Figured one per Cirque is enough to maintain the tradition.
Stayed out of the recent CR & Cirque related political and ideological clashes. My goal here is to have fun, and there are too few events left as it is. I can get enough screaming from work, politics, religion, professional wrestling, "reality" TV & talk radio if I ever feel there's some sort of verbal decibel deficiency in my life. Personally, still trying to cope with a gargoyle-less hotel in Leesburg, and that's more than enough disappointment for me every year. (See "Go anyway" mentioned earlier.). For 3-1/2 days I managed to evade the roving Masi death squads, and all other self appointed protectors, enforcers, and alleged representatives of conflicting truths. Keep the conversations focused on less inflammatory topics; everything else from Alans to Zunows, touring & travel, airplanes, cars, Amish leather workers, sleep disorders, food & chemical allergies, divorce (not mine) and other domestic/professional mayhem, serial killers, the color of Keith Anderson's frame (was that bluish-green or greenish-blue? Inquiring minds need to know.), etc. Enjoying the event is a personal choice. I'm not in the bike biz, so this is the only opportunity I have to see some of my favorite kooks. Not going to let differing world views or color perceptions interfere with that. And I need the temporary disconnect from real life. Weakened only for a few minutes, lured by the dubious thrill of cable TV in the room, got my baseball viewing fix for the year, long enough to watch the Cubs blow it in the 11th inning, in a manner that would embarrass a kid's T-ball team. There's no joy in Cub-ville. There are some constants in the universe, and that one was enough to confirm that the outside world was doing just fine without me. I knew it would. So I just retreated back into my own chosen reality, free of electronic intrusions for the rest of the weekend.
Enjoyed all the bikes, but especially Steve Kinney's Thanet Silverlight. A fascinating piece of British design weirdness I had only seen photos of. Beyond eccentric. Eric's heavily "Elmanized" Weigle, Mark Hoffman's heavily patinaed 50s vintage Dawes (model unknown but some very interesting details), and many others. I just feel so comfortable around this stuff. Inanimate friends.
Sold a few items at the swap, and acquired a few that will lead to more unspeakable atrocities being committed on innocent Simplex SLJ style rear ders, in the name of wide range gearing. BHWAAaaaaaa-haaaa-haaa-ha. Why do you keep looking at me like I'm totally deranged? (People called Spence Wolfe a "visionary" for the things he did to Campy rear ders.) Yeah, okay, maybe you're right, but it's fun, and they still beat the heck out of Campy Ralleys. (Oh great, that'll bring some hate mail.). And whatever doesn't survive the operation will be recycled as gargoyle chow/snacks/offerings for the home 'goyles. Keeping it "green". That's the way it has to be until Wayne finds the Simplex long cage parts I need in the Mel Pinto stash. They gotta be in there somewhere. Everything else was in that pile.
Other random observations and attractions:
Already slightly confused and feeling a bit naked without a bike in the car, suddenly wondering where the heck I was for a moment after seeing a billboard for the "Battletown Inn" along Route 7 on the way in.
Wayne's new shop. A true OH MY G-- moment upon entering and being invited to rummage through the parts bins. Not much that fits into my own little niche, but felt very comfortable just seeing some of those items again (and some new ones) in an active place of business. Triggered some scary flashbacks of my own though. Reminded of the first day of an earlier career that involved a quick self guided tour of 4 hangars and one barn full of 30+ years of accumulated chaos and mayhem in the form of airplane parts, tools, hulks, wrecks, paraphernalia, and junk, with no guidance and the only instructions being to turn it all into a functioning parts department and revenue. Good luck Wayne. Have fun. You're a brave or crazy man.
Sitting in the lobby overhearing how many CRers locked themselves out of their rooms. Some repeat offenders. Perhaps an indication of things to come as we grow older as a group? Just wondering.
Artley having a spacial disorientation episode (or perhaps artistic inspiration?) while assembling a simple bike display stand that he must certainly have assembled at previous Cirques. And that was BEFORE the pain killers. I didn't know it was possible to mis-assemble those things, but he managed to turn one into sort of an Escher-esque bike stand. Very cosmic, but ...... I learn something new at every Cirque.
One of the smokers pinching the butt down at the very end with tip of thumb and forefinger for that last drag. Old habits perhaps, from the days of herbal cigarettes. Maybe next time I'll point out that the name tag clip on the Cirque lanyard could make a convenient little roach clip. Just observing a problem, and evaluating the options at hand. AND we could all be arrested for carrying drug paraphernalia.
A relaxed and smiling Dale Brown, able to enjoy and participate in the festivities.
Enjoyed all the speakers, but in particular Peter Weigle as the voice of calm and reason, discussing a range of "socially, politically, and religiously acceptable" options in what can be an emotional and potentially traumatic restoration/rejuvenation process. You CAN have it your way. Sometimes. It's okay. Wherever the terms originated, "period corrupt" is certainly a more accurate description of the poor old heaps I ride than is "period correct". It's a continuous process more than a final state. Thank you Peter.
Well deserved congratulations to John Raymond for his Super Domestique award. He was everywhere. Doing everything.
Thanks again to Wayne & MJ & John. I've never suffered from excess energy myself, but am always very appreciative of the efforts of those who do. A great event, no matter how it evolves. It's your party, kids. Do it your way.
There's always more to see and do than there is time or energy for. Lots of laughs with old friends and new. That's why I continue to go anyway. I've been cyclo-delicized. (Welllllll, Chris Beyer would have gotten the reference.)
See ya next year. Larry "Dazed & confused. Crazed & contused" Osborn Bruceton Mills, West Virginia - USA