Frank The Welder

With a few spots of rain and wind still lingering we are finally out riding and playing with bikes. Before we get into that I wanted to mention we got the T-shirts in and have them ready to ship as well as Ridge/ER and FB/FB-10 derailleur hangers. Check out the updated merchandise page.

Matt and I took a little road ride Friday afternoon. It had been years since we had ridden together and it was a blast. I should have slipped out again Saturday but that plan was interrupted by a nap after lunch. I always get like that when the weather warms up. I want to sleep in the sun like an old dog.

I headed up to Barre VT for their annual Barre Grand Prix bicycle race. It’s a criterium type event that is a short course laid out in downtown areas. They are quite exciting races as the the laps are short and ridden at very high speeds. I thought about taking a few photos but it’s not at all easy to capture the action.
There were divisions for skill levels as well as gender and age. The event had a “home town” feel with the announcer mingling with the crowd.

I came to the event to help display old bikes and ride around the course on an antique bicycle and lead a kids parade. I like riding older bikes (I have some very old ones) and got to ride a nice Claude Butler from the late 50′s with Cyclo Benelux gears, an early derailleur system. The bike had terrific handling and was a pleasure to ride.

The racing competitive and I was pleased to hear the name of local businessman Chris Curven as a class winner.

Other cool news is the Bellows Falls bike project is having a benefit screening of the film ‘Breaking Away’ coming up in a few days. If you are considering coming to town you have to try Popolo’s resturant in town for dinner and Pleasent valley brewing for music and a crazy beer list. If you haven’t heard, the program is training people (kids of all ages as they say) to repair bicycles and work towards ownership. Their building is under construction and will be completed soon. Happy dayz.

We should be getting shirts today! We will wash our hands and take a look a little later. I’ll also make another batch of key fobs. Those are fun.

A year ago or so I heard something on the radio. I listen to NPR mostly but also commercial radio. My time in a car is only moments at a time in most cases but this had me captivated.

The speaker was representing an institute of some type. I went to the organizations website and a waving American flag was the backdrop for presenting their ideals. Most of the stuff seemed logical. Most of the stuff does when you hear about the person who is on the front line losing their job or perhaps even career. What is also clear is the institution while presenting the story of the victim, clearly isn’t.  The other people present in the broadcast clearly lacked the skills to defend their ideals.  The idea was being put forth that Americans and other developed countries needed to focus on creative endeavors and leave the production to those in a better position to meet the demand. I thought someone should say “some people like making things” but no-one did. “We should make videos and movies and not radios and small things”.  I guess all the profits from cheap labor must be going to support all the unemployed. I am talking about all the people walking around all day.

I went for a ride and ran into a fella that works for a big school as an anthropology educator (I think he said professor but people are sensitive about titles so we stick here). We discussed the heroin problem and the trash bags of oxy that come through our (more mine than his) bustling metropolis of 1500. I talked about VT and he talked about a country in south America where land owners sell out or mortgage their property to come to the states where they live like slaves.

I was ending a 40 mile ride and needed to get on with it but the conversation was very interesting.

We seem to have a lot more stuff but are able do so little with it. It seems like plenty of people are effected with “lack of need” in some way which keeps them from doing what they really want. The system we now use isn’t the answer. How will people seek what they want or need if substitutions are everywhere that are so easy to acquire and take no skill or risk?

I have two things to offer. Perhaps not much.

If you want to learn to make bicycles come to Vicious cycles and see what he has to offer. I will be there Saturday providing hands-on training to attendees. Call ahead. Like today.

AND Bellows Falls has a bike program now. When you replace tools or parts consider donating to a program in your local area. Your ti axle pedals may seem useless to a bike program but they also will sell bikes and parts to help cover expenses.

Thanks for lookin.

Lot’s of new things going on in FTW land lately. My son Matt has come on board to help out at the shop. He worked with me in the past after school or any time use of child labor was excusable or could be considered “character building”. It’s great to spend time with relatives that have similar interests and even more fun when they sound like yourself on the phone. Also, the last time I rode with Matt he tried to buzz my visor with his rear tire over a jump at Mountain Creek so there is that to deal with. LOL.

Matt will be helping with maintaining social media and helping build and run the machine we call home for many hours a day.

The other big news is we added a merchandise page to the blog with some fun items that you may enjoy. A hand made key fob is a huge waste of money until you are tipping brews with Charley Kelly and have wandered away from the bar listening to TR stories and are caught short handed. You may not be able to actually open a beer bottle but it makes for a great story. “Frank blogged about this and it actually happened”. CK would get a kick out of it.

We also have some T-shirts being printed as we speak. It’s a basic heavy T-shirt made of cotton and sewn together by union workers and printed by cold, naked people (kidding).

We worked on secret stuff and planning for next week, this week so photos are few. Stay tuned.

“My oh my, did you hear what he said next?” “I heard it but I don’t believe it” is what I said back to her when I walked out the door. I did believe it and I understood it. I didn’t want anyone talking about me like that and I could feel the blood rush to my face. Why should we be judged by our wants in such a way?

I am sure it didn’t go down as described because the person telling the story wasn’t there. I wasn’t going to repeat what I was just told, that was for sure. It made me wonder how she knew someone business, you can tell when they add “this and that”.

Others had heard the same story. I was there and this is what he actually said.

“I love the look of the old Cannondale track bikes. I attached a photo. This is what I want but to accept modern geared drive train.”

I listened patiently as any friend would but immediately saw what the future may hold for such a combination. You can ignore the comments for only so long. “Cables” is the word that passes between their lips when they turn to speak. It’s hard to overlook. Track bikes don’t have cables hanging all over them. That is the attraction, meat and potatoes, nuts and bolts.. I had almost stopped listening to my friend completely when he said “inter… WHAT? …internal routing Man, are you listening?”
Ya, Ya, I am here bro, you want a track bike with gears and internal routing, continue please, I tried to play it off, you know, be chill.

“It should have all the features, smooth welds and fat round tubes” I got it. I was sympathetic at that point. I was rather inspired actually. I threw down a few ideas of my own and we went on from there.

Soon we got to a point where we were speaking in hushed tones. You know, in the world of bicycles people have certain expectations. “how do I think it will play?”

I say, “lets give them something to talk about”.

Passion, desire, love and other words have special meanings to all of us. What image came before your eyes when you read those words?
We seem to live in constant conflict with desires pulling us in all directions that, as the day or the life goes on it’s one thing after another moving us throughout our lives. At some times it’s not even something we can put a finger on and other times, we seem not to be able to think of anything else.
When you arrive at an address or a point in time that it is convenient (perhaps now), think about what you love and what it is that drives you.

There was an event held in the old mill building located between my shop and the CT river. Riders came from all over New England arriving early in the morning to rebuild the tattered ramps and sweep up trash and broken glass.
I had known many of the riders for several years. Many had ridden bikes I had built and some were still owners. Old and dear friends were there as well as some fine young talent who, amazing as they were will go far beyond.

It was cold in the building. A massive concrete hull known as the Liberty Mill been abandoned for many years. It’s been vandalized about as far as one could imagine. People park in my lot and walk over throughout the year “to see the old building” but they don’t stay long. It’s very inhospitable once you get close enough to read words of hate and stupidity that adorns this historic building.

Saturday she got some love and a grafiti artist painted over “jesus dick” (the name of a primitive earlier piece) as well as a bunch of construction to get the place rideable.

Many of the riders took a tour of my shop. I looked at the faces and hands of these people and saw a lot of features that weren’t there before. Scars were one thing. Also gone from many was the look of excitement and fear that we all wore at races and trade shows where we had worked together in the past.

Something new was a level of comfort and confidence on the faces that were familiar. It was nice to see where everyone had gone and that could still get back..

One of the pro riders said to me ” I admire your dedication”. Comments like that are compliments but also admissions. I am dedicated and love my work. Is it different because it’s work?

I put my old cat to sleep yesterday and cried a bit. It was tough. When I got her my family had recently been reconfigured and I needed a low risk emotional investment with a high probability of success. She had faced discomfort at times when she lived in the walls of a shop I worked in hiding from the noise of manufacturing during the day and coming out at night for a visit when it was quiet.

I called Lanie and when I returned to the shop little discussion was required. I was thankful for the day and to be able to help my cat end her suffering. I didn’t have the strength Friday when I couldn’t see beyond the potential for injury that I faced.

Saturday I was reminded that wounds heal and ten people can share a ham sandwich in a sub-zero room taking turns creating performance from wheels, metal and splintered wood.

I admire your dedication.

Here are some people and events from past.

If I had some made, would people buy them? New T-shirts smell better than burning metal and far less packaging is required (you can’t imagine what a hassle bike boxes are). I like welding better than shipping though and have a tendency to put-off some of the easier tasks in favor of more challenging ones.

If I left the shirts in the shop for a few weeks (shipping delays?) they would smell like burning metal anyway. Knowing me, I would buy the shirts then forget to market them. It seem people are able to tell what I do or could by the photos anyway. It may be confusing since I do more “showing off” than anything else.

I need to head out and walk Buddy. We’ll talk later.