NAHMBS dinner

[gasman]

In addition to a wonderful show it was a real pleasure to meet many of the forum members and share dinner and beers. Dave Thompson,Tom Brynes , Dave Kirk,Atmo, the lovely Deb, Stackie, Tom Byrnes, Archibald, Steve Hampsten and a few others (sorry my memory fails me) were all present. We missed Obtuse (who said he would attend !) dbrk and probably others.
We had a good time discussing bikes and biking but I admit to mostly listening in this august group. It is impressive how much knowledge everyone has and how easy it was to gab for hours.This forum is an amazing community. Thanks.

BTW-the bikes at the show are even better in person than photos could ever convey. All i can say is Wow.

[dbrk]

I am quite sorry I missed this dinner and didn't get to meet you, gasman, or others. It was a pleasure to see old Serotta friends like Thom Byrnes, atmo, the lovely deb (more lovely than ever), David Kirk and others. I had had a tough time getting to San Jose: a 8 hour delay in Buffalo then an overnight stranded in Chicago (with the commensurate costs) and a hassle getting out of Chicago too (plus anohter 2 hour delay). Getting home was easier but I had to leave at 5am on Sunday. Travelling the previous weekend from San Jose/Oakland didn't make the trip any easier on this old, old body. In short, I went back to my room at 7pm and couldn't get up.

I hope to see you all again and meet another time.

regrets,

dbrk

[gasman]

Ouch douglas-sounds tough. I only had to fly one short hop back to Oregon. I'll be there next year as it is only a 2 hour drive to Portland. Hope to see everyone next year.

[jmewkill]

I was one of the "others" at dinner and really enjoyed the experience.

The show:
Big kudos to Atmo for even going. With his wait list he cold have easily been at home. Deb is super cool.

The vendors were willing to talk. Even at the end of the day - very tiring. Opposite to the antibike experience in Vegas.

Sort of surprised that Calfee didn't bring any "real bikes" just their design exercises. Personally, I would have like to have seen their line-up.

Anytime I went past the Merlin booth there didn't seem to be anyone looking at their stuff. Maybe it was just poor timing on my part.

The Pegerotti responsorium in blue is really sweet.

The cheerleading competition across the street made me feel old and dirty.

Having meet both Hampsten now, I say they really get bikes and the culture of just riding the dam* things.

Thanks to Don Walker for the time and effort. Hope you survived.

Huge callout to Tom Byrnes for stepping aside and letting me buy the Kirk. Next time your beer is on me.

Speaking of beer on me. Drinking bikes and talking beer with Obtuse, JB, Archibald and a cast of others was worth the trip alone. Thanks to Archibald for the cough medicine, it cleaned me right out the next morning.

And now I have Kirk heading to paint. Bring on Spring.

Cheer,
Jim

[dave thompson]

Douglas you were missed, but it was neat/exciting/fun having dinner with folks and luminaries I "knew" from the forum but finally meeting face-to-face. And to the 'new kid at the table', jmewkill, who also bought a frame at the show.

Attending the NAHMBS further reinforced my thought that we now enjoy a true 'golden age' of bicycling. Today we have more and better choices of components, bikes and gear than ever before. And that's just from the big guys! Factor in the offerings that from the custom folks that were seen at the NAHMBS show, what we can buy is staggering. At any level and any budget, state-of-the-arts stuff is laid out for our pleasures. Man I like living today!

[gasman]

I was one of the "others" at dinner and really enjoyed the experience.

The show:
Big kudos to Atmo for even going. With his wait list he cold have easily been at home. Deb is super cool.

The vendors were willing to talk. Even at the end of the day - very tiring. Opposite to the antibike experience in Vegas.

Sort of surprised that Calfee didn't bring any "real bikes" just their design exercises. Personally, I would have like to have seen their line-up.

Anytime I went past the Merlin booth there didn't seem to be anyone looking at their stuff. Maybe it was just poor timing on my part.

The Pegerotti responsorium in blue is really sweet.

The cheerleading competition across the street made me feel old and dirty.



Cheer,
Jim

Sorry Jim- I didn't know your screen name it was a pleasure to meet you.
The cheerleaders just mad me feel old.
it was interesting how some booths would be empty much of the show and others had a lot of interest. So much impressive work there-lots of eye candy and like Dave said-the choices we have these days is incredible.

[SoCalSteve]

Sounds like you guys had a great time. Sorry I missed it!

Did JB go out to dinner with the Serotta group on Saturday eveing? I told him I'd meet him and then called and left a message for him (cancelling).

Glad to hear that ATMO joined you guys. Wow, Dave Kirk and Atmo at the same dinner table...

Hope to make it another time.

Steve

[chakatrain]

Attending the NAHMBS further reinforced my thought that we now enjoy a true 'golden age' of bicycling. Today we have more and better choices of components, bikes and gear than ever before. And that's just from the big guys! Factor in the offerings that from the custom folks that were seen at the NAHMBS show, what we can buy is staggering. At any level and any budget, state-of-the-arts stuff is laid out for our pleasures. Man I like living today!

All,

Glad to hear hear that you guys had an enjoyable dinner at the show. I couldn't stay, unfortunately...sometimes that's how the dice roll, eh?

My big takeaway from the show echoes Dave's comments above. At one point I realized that I had seen only 1/3 of the booths after maybe 2 hours. It was an embarrassement of riches, truely. There are so many excellent craftsman, each with his own style, take, and passion that I ended up smiling at my fortune for being alive during this amazing time.

I wish the bicycle craftsman much success in this market and hope the customers will wake up and buy these amazing bikes.

[Kirk007]

I'm jealous - what an event. I've scoured the internet for all the photos I could find.

So Portland next year? That would be great; I'd be able to pull away for a few hours from our annual environmental conference that conflicts each year with NAHBS (although this year I got to meet and introduce Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a private reception, so that was a very cool alternative).

Gasman, if I had been thinking ahead I should have had you bring my frame home with you. Dave T. generously offered to spare me from having to live with another Kirk; sorry Dave - I'd hate to subject the greater Spokane environment to having to live with another Kirk in the neighborhood!

Thanks to all of you for your reports, allowing the rest of us to live vicariously.

Greg

[obtuse]

We missed Obtuse (who said he would attend !) .

sorry i missed you gasman....i showed up later for copious alchohol consumption but on saturday i went out to eat with dario and my pals from gita.

obtuse

ps jmewkill rules.

[mjb266]

Obtuse, if that RS is yours be careful. He seemed to have cut a couple of corners on the seatstay attachment method on that new one. Either that or it's a new suspension attachment designed to allow some travel.

[mosca]

I could not manage to get up there for the show, for the second year in a row... :crap:
Well, you're all probably better off for the fact that I was not there drooling on all the beautiful frames and drinking San Jose dry.
If the Portland rumors are true, I hope to be there next year - fair warning!

And thanks to all who posted comments and photos - I appreciate the vicarious experience!

[Tom Byrnes]

It was a great show with several stunning bikes, as is evident from the photos. So many very talented artisans and craftspeople. I was particularly impressed with the number of builders located in Oregon, especially those in the Portland area.

I left the show having decided to place deposits for bikes with Sacha, Dave Kirk and a new company, Vendetta. The bikes' respective delivery dates are staggered over a long period of time, so my Debbie won't be too upset.

Best of all, I got to see my pals Douglas, Dave Kirk, Sacha, Steve Hampsten, Mike Barry and Jon (Stackie), and, as Gasman and others have already noted, meet in person the many persons behind the Forum screen names (atmo, Dave Thompson, obtuse, Gasman, and jmewkill. The Forum is a wonderful place.

Dinner was a treat. We were all sorry that our dear pal DBRK could not attend, but can understand why. The good prof really logs in some serious frequent flier miles each month. We had some lively and informative conversations and closed the restaurant down. The restaurant staff kicked us out so that they could clean up and go home (although it wasn't that late).

I am looking forward to next year's show.

Tom

[shinomaster]

It will be in Portland next year?

[atmo]

thanks, all, for making that evening and the
weekend so much more enjoyable with your
presence, as well as for welcoming my wife,
aka the lovely deb atmo.

[dave thompson]

thanks, all, for making that evening and the
weekend so much more enjoyable with your
presence, as well as for welcoming my wife,
aka the lovely deb atmo.
The lovely deb is lovely.

[stackie]

Yeah, the bikes were pretty. But, for me, the highlight of the show was dinner and conversation afterwards. I had a fantastic conversation with E-richie and Archibald. Truly a memorable evening. I just have to get my life in order so that I can myself on the RS wait list.

PS. Thanks again for the lift, Gasman.

Jon

[Jeff Weir]

Speaking of the lovely Deb,

This is kind of confidential, but I feel as though I must share with you all:

Look for her in next season's American Idol.

She told me a couple of weeks ago, that her relationship with Atmo has kind of fizzled over the last few months primarily due to the amount of time he spends on the internet. She has decided to rekindle the flame by becoming a contestant on American Idol!!!! She reaslizes it's the only thing (outside of bikes) that Atmo finds interesting and it could be a way to get his attention.

Lets all keep our fingers crossed that the "love angels" from above shoot an arrow up Atmos butt.

VOTE FOR DEB.

[gasman]

The lovely deb is lovely.


+1-and she put up with the likes of us no less !!

[atmo]

don't agitate me or i'll start naming names.
there were at least five different knees leaning
on my two under the dinner table atmo.

[manet]

don't agitate me or i'll start naming names.
there were at least five different knees leaning
on my two under the dinner table atmo.

those weren't knees

[atmo]

those weren't knees
a-ha.
was it dave thompson's new seatpost atmo?

[dave thompson]

a-ha.
was it dave thompson's new seatpost atmo?
And then he asked me: "Is that a seatpost in your pocket or are you glad to meet me?"

[Jeff Weir]

The real question is, was it bent or straight?

[davids]

And a good time was had by all.

...I hope that Don can bring NAHBS east so I, too, can call it NAMBLA...