[CR] Recap of Vintage, BOBish ride north of Baltimore

(Example: Framebuilders:Jack Taylor)

From: "Barb and Dan Artley" <hydelake@verizon.net>
To: Classic Rendezvous <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 22:08:29 -0400
Subject: [CR] Recap of Vintage, BOBish ride north of Baltimore


We had a nice but steamy day in the hills north of Baltimore, Saturday. With the ride's change of date, we had a small but good crowd. Four riders took the rail trail north and six took to the road. Our longer for this year 32 mile ride avoided a couple busier stretches, and while adding a hill or two managed to show off more of the beautiful countryside. The group was small enough that we kept together and never really needed cue sheets. Everyone seemed to be in take it easy mode and the only hammering was more on the downhills, and to grab momentum for the next rise.

The road and trail routes crossed 19 and 8 miles into the ride in the small Pennsylvania town of New Freedom. The trail crowd, Larry Osborne and Charlie Young joined by local friends Therese Spadaro and Gary Gentry, were getting antsy and headed north just before we reached them, minus Charlie who joined the road crew for the twelve mile ride back. Being hot and muggy, a Snowball (sugary flavored shaved ice) w/ marshmallow goo on top, a favorite of mine, was the order of the day for energy food in the heat to get us home.

A few quick stops were made as we continued to regroup, and the breeze felt so good when we'd get going again. There was a nice breeze and in the heat it became a cool refresher. The road ride's finish is still the roaring two and a half mile downhill winding up practically at our doorstep, and the trail riders showed up shortly after the first drinks were poured. It was mostly an older CR crowd (as Larry described) but for Aaron Lovell and his buddy Nick, a couple of younger riders from the Washington DC area. Aaron, Riding a Bridgestone XO-2, heard about the ride from the BOB list and being a city guy was pleased with the country life. His buddy Nick was on a brand new Gunner Roadie from Waterford and had that NEW bike grin all day.

Wayne Bingham was on his Cirque winning green Brian Baylis spurting ahead at times, just ecstatic about what a great ride it is. He even confessed to not riding his other bikes much lately. I was on my Sachs tourer, my best bike for the hills and still my favorite ride. John Barry was riding his Fuji, The Finest with a newer gear setup, something like a period microdrive. From my not too clear photos it looks like a Mighty Tour crank with a Shimano Eagle? long cage rear and what's almost a one to one setup, maybe 32 or 34 in front x 14 - 32?. Certainly low enough to make short work of our hills. Tom Roberson was on his Austro Daimler set up w/ S&S couplings, 650b tires and fenders, really a pretty build.

Almost immediately upon getting back to the house someone pointed out a gorgeous Hetchins Magnum Opus in red and white with vibrant stays and matching red bluemel mudguards. The paint was over the top to really bring out those fancy lugs. Who did that belong to??? Turns out it was John Barry's bike recently traded from the CR list's Johnny Crump. Wow! What a looker. And Charlie Young brought the Harry Quinn that had been sitting in the hallway all weekend at Cirque. I finally got to take it for a spin. A really cool period piece, one I'd like to get to know. ... Really I'm not asking Charlie, I'm just fascinated with it. Larry Osborn brought the Viking Severn Valley that I'd built up and decided I wasn't thrilled with it's handling. Outside of all the packing material and sandwich wrap hanging on it that day it really looked good. Larry says it's a great ride. I'm glad he enjoys it. The parts I had on it are now mostly hanging on Barb's Jack Taylor ladies frame. It worked out well for all.

I invited people to see the workshop. Barb was insisting that no one take anything down and not come back up with it, but they were welcome to carry stuff out. Having gotten close to Larry's wife Tammy at the Cirque she's especially protective of her. Larry's not allowed to take anything from my stash home.

As people began to leave it seemed everyone had a good time, and talking to Larry as he hung around before heading off, I asked him about the length of his drive. His answer was "Where else can we all get together and have so much fun?" I couldn't agree more. When's the next vintage ride?

Next its off to the Fixed Gear Symposium in Michigan with Tom Roberson for a bit of bike fun and silliness. As much of a hoot as it is to ride fixed, it'll be cool to ride in a total fixie crowd where the terrain everywhere is fixed friendly.

Happy trails,

Dan Artley in Parkton, Maryland USA

The list: Larry Osborn, Viking Severn Valley Charlie Young, Harry Quinn 60's cross bike, R. E. W. Reynolds tourer Wayne Bingham, Brian Baylis' green show winning road bike Tom Roberson, Austro Daimler kinda rando'd out or maybe a gentleman rider John Barry, Fuji's The Finest, and Hetchins vibrant magnum opus of Johnny Crump Therese Spadaro, Soma Double Cross Gary Gentry, Cannondale trail bike Aaron Lovell from DC, Bridgestone XO-2 & Nick, Gunner Roadie & me on the Richard Sachs tourer