To fuel our voyeurism, several of us went to the NW 'Burbs of Chitown to attend the 8th annual vintage bike ride. The weather was awesome and since it's in Illinois we knew the route would be "flat as a pancake" and the wind "is always at your back." So 5 of us swallowed some of that Kool-aid and made the three hour trip. It was warmer at the start this year than last, so we had that going for us.
Gathering at Crystal Lake park, we had about 30 minutes or so to reunite and compare equipment.
I was riding my Hillborne so I qualified as the "faux vintage" entrant to the event.
Out on the road everybody maintained a conversational pace. The wind and terrain, lived up to the advance billing (at least for the first part).
It was one of the more pleasant days I have had on a bike this year. The ride to the midpoint came almost too quickly and we had another chance to drool over each others equipment and tell stories about the Craigs List or E-bay finds, and the ones that got away.
The ride back was a little more like a normal mid-western day.
The wind was ornery and the group spread out over a few miles to deal with it, each in our own fashion.
It was just one of those "gear down comfortably and wait" sort of winds.
Not a real fight just an annoyance.
But it all ended with lunch at an authentic Mexican restaurant
where the fish and shrimp tacos are an annual luxury.
where the fish and shrimp tacos are an annual luxury.
We all sat around in the sun outside and relaxed with our lunch and bike talked.
While there was a plethora of Brooks and other leather saddles,
While there was a plethora of Brooks and other leather saddles,
this hand made beauty was the most impressive,
I want to see what brands show up next year.
On the way back to the car, I found my first glance of real spring,
a smattering of flowers that compliment Sam.
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