The housemate just strolled in from a trail ride on #18, busted shifter from taking a pebbly turn with a touch too much heat in the fells, yet another reason for me to love my Fool Tilt Shift Pods (they’ll only put you out a hundred bucks once). Benny did proud in the Cat 4 field in Williston cracking the top ten in Verge Series race no.1 and the top five in no.2, call ups will be in order at Gloucester for at least one member of the factory team on the first weekend of October. It was a shame to miss the Vermont crosstoberfest myself. The course, weather, and venue were all apparently perfect not only for the race itself but also for a full weekend of BMX pump tracking and trail riding as well. Had I not been lucky enough to have just returned from 2 days of wonderful vermont riding earlier in the week I would have not been consolable about having to miss out on it for work.
The Budd Vermont Century Started Tuesday morning from a Holiday in the heart of Precision Valley in the south of the state and finished in Stowe that evening. I couldn’t have been prouder doubling back down the steep last sections of multiple eight mile climbs to see a line of light blue budd bikes #’s 15, 19, and 20 being pedaled comfortably by my own blood father, uncle and cousin. #15 was commisioned for me to build by my father not quite two years ago when I first shoestringed my little shop together here in my mortuary basement on Main St to revive Budd Bike Works after a two year hiatus. Twenty two months, thirty pounds, and 36 years of having been a smoker ago noone would have thought they’d be seeing Mike Budd smiling at the end of a hilly hundred mile bike ride. It is the ultimate point of pride for me as a purveyor of finely fitted cycles to see how much of a difference one can make for someone, that the someone is my father (see below)
is that much sweeter.
#19 was piloted by Dad’s paternal twin minted as a grandfather for the first time eight days prior, #20 was the graduation gift ridden of a first serious road bike for his daughter. Hanging out with some of the family and meeting its newest member was the best way I can remember spending a midweek. Getting to dip into some great trail riding in the Stowe Town forest before slumping into a bus seat on Wednesday capped it all off beautifully. Great thanks go out to the tech savvy, thesis defense procrastinating Pete who drove the shag wagon and compiled massive amounts of digital media like a pro.
I have to jump on #23 and spin like mad on the single low gear I’d slapped on it to make it serviceable for late entrance at the local 2 on 2 polo tourney Sunday and pick up up #24 from the warehouse I’d left it in at dawn this Saturday. A check is in the mail for the build kit on #26 that will float me a little to allow more time off the 9 to 5 to design #28 (Wei Wei’s Weight less Way fast wasabi knife) and #29 (a day to day fixie for a tree legged scholar of technology and sociology) ahead of the order of tubes expected at the end of the week.
As I race around my adopted home city posting parking permits I’ll be trying to think of how best to impress upon attendees at the Boston Area Handbuilt Bike Exposition this week just how deeply committed I am to whatever this thing of an uncompromising life of bikes is.
So while I have been enjoying running into flesh and blood folks while the New England weather still allows and having something original to tell them that I have not yet posted on this here blog, I thought I’d get the rest of you caught up on whats going on at Budd Bike Works towards the close of September.
