Stuff in the workshop

[Dazza]

It was 1983, I was 20 yo, 58kg, my first senior state title that I raced in. 180kms and the finish was in Woodford. Quite by accident I found myself off the front on a wee climb. I thought, OK, just tempo and see who might come across, Rob Crossely came across on his own to me and we swapped off for while, I then proceeded to grovel for a wee while, kept putting in my turns and thought, ****, now I have to see out the next 50kms but later on the climb out of Kilkoy I was shelled out,
Rob did not jump , I just was one tooth less capable on that hill than him and Rob went on to win solo. When the chase caught me, a rider by the name of Kerry asked me how he was going out there. I thought that was a strange thing to ask me, here I am after being spat, with you and this small group of chasers, you are all two minutes behind him?! I just replied, "You will not catch him, he is in the 12" . Rob was never caught and we all did battle to be the first of the losers. I finished 8th, with a sprint that a daddy long legs spider would be ashamed of, well my excuse was I put myself out there, gave it all and failed and was legless for the jumps on the run in and for the gallop. This picture captures me with snot on my face, thinking
"a silver if I could have hung onto Rob Crossely, I failed and that was a chance lost because I was not good enough. Sigh and Sigh! "yeah, he was a much classy rider and I was pea engine, but I could not help but think....................................

[weisan]

Originally Posted by Dazza

he was a much classy rider and I was pea engine, but I could not help but think....................................[/SIZE][/COLOR][/FONT]

no excuse, dazza pal, this little guy just won the TOC.

[Dazza]

This is from something that came out of another FB page this morning. 1986 Brisbane Metro titles. I was off the front with Blair Stockwell and Steve Rooney for a bit and I got shelled out on the quarry hill coming out of Petrie. I was thinking that it was all over for me, sigh, failed again. Then along came Jeff Leslie and Greg Dwair, they had left the bunch and were going across at a great rate of knots to the Blair and Steve, I groveled and did as much as I could. We got to Blair and Steve not long after going through Daybora. "hi I am back" (on the Jeff and Greg bus!) We had the steep climb up Mt Samson to do before we doubled back to Daybora. I was concerned that hill would be the end of me (I know it well as I trained all my life on those roads) so I skipped turns for the last km drag to Closeburn before we turned onto the hill. (the shame of that eh!) We went onto the hill, with me last wheel and half way up Steve and Greg were losing the wheels of Blair and Jeff, I was actually thinking they were backing me off to jump again and so dagg me off so I went straight around them. They were feeling the effects of driving the race and the group hard and this I could not blame them, they drove the race all day so damm hard! I prayed that Jeff or Blair did not accelerate on that hill, because if they looked back they could see I was all over the bike like a thrasher to stay on. Three of us went down the other side of Mt Samson Jeff actually broke a spoke (24 spoke wheel) in his rear wheel and I thought the tyre was rubbing on the CS, I was pondering if the tyre would last and then it would be just Blair and myself to the finish. YAY! The tyre held on. DOH! The three of us swapped off to the finish, and I did what one does when they know they will be toast in the sprint, launch off before the real sprint got going, but not too far out, trying to bag it hoping Jeff and Blair would fiddle about looking at each other. Of course that was a snow flake in hell's chance, I was not kidding myself but what else could I do............Well, I had the grunt of a snow flake and the speed of a constipated snail and did not go far. Jeff went after me pretty quickly, they got me some 250m or so to go and they paused and then sprinted. I got up off the saddle again and gave everything for 50m with that awful sensation of giving it all, but seeing no result and thus I watched them sail away in the distance and then I sat down to watch my superiors race for the victory. I had a good line of cotton mouth and snot down the sides of my face at the finish that day. I never liked finishing last in a front group that I scraped along in, be it three for the dash and then be last, that is depressing for me, but I was very pleased that I survived that day. It was the best Qld racing for me when Jeff, Blair Stockwell and the lads drove it so hard in the lead up to the CG 1986. I just tried to be alert and on the moves when they occurred and scrape up some thing. The pic I think is by Steven Grice's Parents.

I also I remember a chap I know by the name of Bill, he said to me while I sat on the tail gate of my station wagon wiping snot off off my dial "when are you going to learn to sprint?" I nearly got up in a rage to give him a Glasgow kiss, but I would have fainted if I got up quickly, so I replied meekly along the lines of "yeah, but you first you have got to get yourself to the finish in the front group to fu--ing sprint for the win and you are right, today I was a second place loser in the front group". (please go away till I feel better)



The photographer had to try hard to get me into the picture. Most of the spectators were behind the line, not in front it, hanging about the car parking

[bking]

great story, thanks for sharing. Nice to have the photos to bring back the rush of memory.

[Dazza]

I am working on Caroline's Lucentezza Manorina frame set, I got the little files out to work over the bottle boss reinforcements for a bit of fun. The cage will cover them up, but it is a bit like lingerie, you know it is there.

[Cornfed]

Originally Posted by Dazza

... it it is a bit like lingerie, you know it is there.

And that's art.

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[Dazza]

It is bling bling, is it art? A Llewellyn Lugged Stem, using a pair of my first casting design. The stainless steel lug shore lines have been reworked by my hands, here is no loss of function. Just a lugged stem to compliment the lugged frame set.

[Cornfed]

Bling gratifies the wearer; art gratifies the artist. A heart-shaped boss reinforcement that no one will see? That's art. And just plain cool.

[Dazza]

In the mid eighties I bought this little beauty from Brisbane Industrial Agencies. A family owned company who (or is whom?) I still deal with just about every week. Mum and Dad owned business with Karin and Lee their daughters who work the office and stock. Their long experience and knowledge had been very valuable to me. During the last 30 years Lee and Karin have gotten married, had children and now they have grand children. It is marvellous to have them just around the corner from my home/work place. The protractor was an expensive out lay for me at the time but it has given great service when called upon, like just recently when measuring the angle of a Columbus bio conical seat stay (new ones in stock ;-) ) to set the cross slide up for boring. This tool has given value for a long time and I wonder who will inherit this and all my valued tools when I am just ash at the crematorium? Yep, made in the USSR before the wall came down.

[Dazza]

Worked up the stainless steel polish, this fork is done.

[Dazza]

What is he doing in there? What is he building in there? Doing something old but with a complicated twist, with bio conical seat stays and stainless. Stay tuned for more. Oh, and a lathe is beautiful thing. How can any one live with out one?

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[Dazza]

Mark's 13 year old Llewellyn Max road frame is having some dents filled and repaint. Looking at the frame's seat lug reminds me of the many hours I spent reworking the lugs to an acceptable appearance and function. The counter bore for the seat bolt and the reshaping of the shorelines. 45 degree seat stay fitting. Those who have built with MAX lugs will understand the toil required to sweeten the frame set.

[8aaron8]

That's a nice way to finish the bulbous seat lug.