One Cool Sunday

Sunday was a relief!  The temperatures here dropped nearly 25 degrees.  

It was just in time for the KBC's local Kaltour ride.  

It's a very nice club sponsored ride through the countryside surrounding Kalamazoo Mi.

The weather couldn't have been better and more than 300 people came out to enjoy some company on one the the 4 routes marked out and supported with excellent sag and rest stops.

Against my better judgement, I drove the paltry 5 miles to the start.  I was thinking that I might not feel like riding home after the start, but felt lazy and guilty for doing it (There! I beat you to it Bill!).

I liked the looks of the metric century and it would be the 5th time this year I rode my age (60 not 100).

The ride takes several routes through the rolling countryside full of vineyards.

 Yes Michigan is wine country.

The rest stops were placed a comfortable 20 miles apart where we could all drool and obsess over each others wheels.  I saw my first Hetchin's in the wild,

a fixed gear that was as full of the beautiful workmanship and detail

we all expect.

I've long admired the exhaustive detail of the paint and lugwork in the photos I've seen of Hetchin's bikes

and was a little overwhelmed when I saw it in the flesh.

I have to admire it, but honestly after seeing it in person I have to admit the lugs were 

a little tooo much like a lace doily for my taste.  I can't deny it is pretty,

but like a wedding cake, a bit overstated.

Not only did we get a view of the vineyards,

we were able to enjoy miles and miles of shade pedaling through the forests.

At lunch I was treated once again to a unique piece of vintage gear

in the form of Gordon Vader's custom by PG Wells.

Compared to the Hetchin's this bike had a simple straight forward elegance to the single point lugs

and cutouts.  It has been perfectly cared for and is a truly beautiful bike, but Gordon pointed out 

that the Reynolds decal had developed a crack.  Well, we know that renders the bike useless!

I offered to disposed of it properly for him, but he snorted and rode off in a hurry.

You just can't help some people!

At the finish, I got a look at the "new" Centurion my friend Bill had recently snagged.

It is a perfect example of  a late '70s Japanese model with all original Suntour group

and those lovely and simple 

plated lugs popular back then.

He explained that the cost on the bike was a net gain of 2 Guinness.

He sold his Fuji 195, bought the Centurion for 185 and spent the profit at the Irish fest the same weekend.

That's a deal!

I finished the ride within reasonable time for me, averaging around 15 mph on the Hillborne.  

The temps were in the mid eighties by the finish, I was glad the car was there, but still felt like I should have ridden home.