Dear dbrk,

[keno]

You put on one hell of a show this weekend! Absolutely wonderful. The riding was great, the company was great, the food and drink was great, and, most of all, you were a generous, welcoming, and thoughtful host nonpareil. I can't thank you enough.

My very best regards,

keno

[Smiley]

+ 1000 , Wonderful event and never to be missed.

[Pete Serotta]

Douglas - ALL I CAN SAY IS THANKS FOR A WONDERFUL WEEKEND.

ALl the fine folks that you gathered and hosted were a memory to savor for a life time...

I have never been with so many wonderful and equal caring people. (Yeah there were so red wine lovers also.)

Hopefully one day I/we can return the favor.

Thanks again .....PETE

[CNY rider]

+ 1 zillion.

Douglas' hospitality has no betters, nor many peers for that matter.

Thanks for a wonderful weekend. :banana:

[palincss]

+1 to everything that's been said. Not much more I can add, other than that I've never been in any kind of group with so many magnificent bicycles, more exquisite hand made bicycles in one place than even at the Cirque.

Perhaps the most astounding thing is, many of them came right out of dbrk's collection.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . to adequately express the amazement I have, not only at Douglas' bike collection and his generosity in allowing us to invade his home and ride his bikes, but at all the work it obviously took for him to get the place ready, get the food ready, make everything work for everybody who was there, and still manage to look like he was having one hell of a good time himself.

If you did not attend, you missed having a very special time and meeting a very special person.

BBD

PS . . . And I only had ONE flat! :beer:

[hypnos]

Douglas,

I had a wonderful time on the Saturday rides. Sorry that I wasn't able to stay for dinner. Thank you very much for all your effort to make this a truly memorable weekend.

Jeff

[mschol17]

It was like fantasy bike camp... Peg, Mariposa, Weigle...

Thanks so much Douglas.

[shinomaster]

I'm such a tool. I'm only 90 miles from his house right now.

[Ahneida Ride]

It was like fantasy bike camp... Peg, Mariposa, Weigle...

Thanks so much Douglas.

It's better then your first trip to Disney Land as a 6 year old.

[K Bedford]

Douglas,
What can I say, your hospitality and your passion for the bikes is beyond compare.
I've never been to any other gathering or event where the motivations to be there were simply to enjoy the bike, the riding and most af all each others company.
Truly refreshing and thoroughly enjoyable.
Thanks so much and I'm looking forward to next year.
KB

[davidmn]

It's a hanging pirtate skeleton. Gotta have a sro gold (http://www.ugamegold.com/game-gold-Silk_Road_Online.html) . I'll take some more pictures once we get the webs up now that the winds are done, and you'll see the other skeleton as well. (http://www.blogger.com/delete-comment.g?blogID=31370907&postID=116195819019823957)

[SamIAm]

There is obviously nothing I can say that hasn't already been said.

There is simply no way to overstate the generosity of Douglas in hosting this special event.

My wife and I had a simply wonderful time. The weather was perfection and the people even better.

My wife said it best on the plane ride home, she turned to me and said "Now that was a magical weekend!"

And it was indeed.

[sc53]

Again so many thanks to dbrk and his fabulous sweeper crew and kitchen crew for the fabulous rides and MEALS at his home over the weekend. Douglas could be a catering chef, he knows how to cook and serve for 50+ people without breaking a sweat. The company and conversations were on a par with the food and rides. So many great bikes and bike-riding aficionados in one place over one weekend--what a treat and delight. Rich's jerseys were top-notch in quality and design and most of us wore them on the Saturday rides. Thank you everyone who made this weekend so special! :banana:

[Kevan]

I'm just glad I brought home some terrific souvenirs to keep the memories alive. (You and I know who you are.)

Thanks Douglas for a spectacular weekend.

To my forum pals, new and old, it was a pleasure riding with you.

This event is the best of what this and any forum can offer. Bravo!

Kevan

[BumbleBeeDave]

I'm just glad I brought home some terrific souvenirs to keep the memories alive. (You and I know who you are.)

I think you're supposed to throw those away after you use them.

Just sayin' . . . ;) :D :eek:

BBD

[CNY rider]

I'm just glad I brought home some terrific souvenirs to keep the memories alive. (You and I know who you are.)

.Kevan


Kevan, there's a county health clinic you can go to that should be able to clear that right up for you........ :p

[BumbleBeeDave]

Kevan, there's a county health clinic you can go to that should be able to clear that right up for you........ :p

. . . that occasionally the ointment doesn't work and they have to burn or freeze them off. :eek:

BBD

[Kevan]

I take it all back.

[jsfoster]

This is what is looked like. We had wonderful rides, talking and measuring our breath- up the hills. Dbrk made it safe and fun for all. A delicious weekend, and so many new acquaintances. Thank you, Jon

[Smiley]

This is what is looked like. We had wonderful rides, talking and measuring our breath- up the hills. Dbrk made it safe and fun for all. A delicious weekend, and so many new acquaintances. Thank you, Jon
Back at you JS , it was nice meeting you too. Smiley

[Johny]

I went to heaven to ride and eat and talk and drink and eat and talk and drink and ride with all of you and found out god has many bicycles and a Porsche. There are other gods who make bicycles with wings.

I was dead but yet so alive.

My sincere Thank you to all of you and +1000000000000000000000000....especially to the god with a pony tail.

John

[dave1215]

this was an outstanding event in every way

what a place
what a crowd
what impeccable planning
what great rides
what great food
what extraordinary times

a special mention for mike barry all the way from toronto
who joined on the road
and shared some of his knowledge and follies

there is no gratitude sufficient for the hospitality demonstrated by dbrk

[blharrell]

namaste

[dougblue]

Thank you, Douglas, for inviting me and the pleasures of great company, beautiful weather, and your kind hospitality. Although I could only stay for the Saturday morning ride, it was a blast and won't be forgotten.

[Tom Byrnes]

Debbie and I finally made it back to Los Angeles late last night, after our storm-delayed flights from ROC to Boston (huh?) and then Boston to LAX. While I am back in sunny So Cal, I wish I was still in rainy Bristol at the Ramble.

Great cycling, beautiful bikes and, most importantly, wonderful people and conversation.

To borrow Sydney's (SamIAm's wife) phrase, it certainly was "a magical weekend".

I want to thank everyone who attended for making the event so special. It was great seeing old friends and meeting new ones.

Of course, special thanks has to be given to Douglas, who obviously worked very hard in planning and preparing for our invading swarm of cyclists. As everyone else has already stated, Douglas's warm hospitality, generosity and thoughtfulness cannot be overstated.

Looking forward to the next magical gathering.

Tom

P.S. Thanks to all who are posting pictures. They're great.

[dbrk]

Thanks so much to all the Serottapals who made the Ramble.

Special shouts to Thom Byrnes and Debbie, H. Frank, his wife Debbie and those two great kids ---your efforts in the kitchen made it all possible. Serotta Pete, Smilely and Karen, you were so kind, such great company. And to have Kelly Bedford and Brian Smith and Sarah again join us, that was a real pleasure and an honor. Many thanks to Serotta for getting us together and enabling our community to create such remarkable, valuable friendships.

I could go on with so many thank yous... for all of your contributions. I hope it merely suffices to say that I enjoyed all of it and look forward to the opportunity to Ramble again. Such fine folks, great company, and a shared passion to ride bikes. I hope you enjoyed our hills and Bristol's hospitality.

I look forward to more pictures. And to the years to come.
Thanks again for coming!

dbrk

[rdparadise]

Douglas:

Thanks so much for organizing and putting together a spectacular weekend of riding and camaraderie. You are a special host who made this all possible and I thank you and your wife for allowing us all to convene at your place for a great weekend.

I truly appreciated your care on the road as well and how it seemed effortless to regroup periodically so everyone would follow your lead. You were especially caring regarding the upcoming descents whereby you let us know what to expect and how to proceed.

Riding in western NY is spectacular. I enjoyed the hills and the views from atop are outstanding. Your home is exceptional and the view from your acreage is special as well, what a valley that you oversee.

The basement, oh! the basement. Has anyone ever seen such a collection of classic, hand built steel bicycles like you have accumulated? I don't think so. Your heard is quite remarkable and not to be beat. There were many beauties that are exceptional workmanship.

Finally, the gang from the forum. It was really great to finally meet many of you and put a handle to a name and a face. It was great connecting and I had a great time meeting you all. Now if I can only remember who's who? :butt:

Take care folks and thanks again Douglas for a great event and a special weekend. :banana: :beer: :)

Bob

[Hardlyrob]

Words are indeed insufficient to describe this past weekend. Wonderful new friends, great conversations, wonderful food, and best of all great riding.

I have never had as much fun with a group of seriously skilled, and truly gracious riders.

Douglas - thank you for opening your home to us, cooking for us, sharing your local knowledge with us, and for allowing many of us to ride bicycles in your amazing collection. The black Sachs is an amazing machine!

As someone else said - a truly magical weekend.

Thank you again!

Rob

[FMS_rider]

I retired the week before the Ramble. Over the past decade all but 2 of my rides had been alone --rejuvenating escapes in the Wisconsin countryside from a job in the academic world that had become much too stressful for my body and mind. A longstanding dream that I feared would prove to be a fantasy was that cycling could provide as a means for me to return to the world that I reluctantly left 30 years ago. As I said to Douglas when departing, the Ramble proved to be nothing short of a life-changing experience --so many wonderful human beings graciously welcomed me into their world. So much warmth and laughter. I want to say thanks to all.
Lew

[Blue Jays]

The fellowship, cheer, and friendliness experienced under the umbrella of Douglas's wonderful hospitality is unlike anything most have ever witnessed.
My hat is off to Cycles Tournesol, Douglas, and everyone who worked (with broad smiles, no less...) to prepare delicious vegetarian fare and for everyone to have a seamless riding weekend.
I've come to learn Canandaigua, NY is literally heaven-on-earth!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!