The bike in question was a Schwinn Varsity. Dad had purchased it for me in 1968, for my use as transportation around St. Paul during my sophomore year at Macalester. The bike had served me well over the years, but had deteriorated to the point I couldn't ride it any more.

The first task was simple repair. Didn't know anything about maintaining bikes, then, so I hied off to the bookstore and collected a couple bicycle repair manuals. With their assistance I was able to get the bike apart, cleaned, lubed (with STP!), reassembled, and back on the road. It was immediately clear that the rear derailleur--a (Schwinn Approved) Huret Alvit--was past any hope of repair, and the rear wheel was similarly hopeless. Not knowing what it would cost to replace these parts, I started calling bicycle shops and describing my problem.

By far the most helpful responses came from Bernie (Baisch) Stevenson, one of the owners at Alfred E. Bike, who seconded one of my books' recommendation that SunTour made the best shifters, reassured me that the changer would work on my bike, and quoted me a far better price than any other shop. So I found my way to the shop and spent most of the 40 bucks, came back, and had things working when Mom got back to Kalamazoo.

For the next couple years, the Varsity became my main transportation. I was working on political campaigns for most of '74; in '75 I became active in the Kalamazoo Bicycle Club--succeeding to President when John Busack graduated from college and moved away. Another time's story....

Late in 1975 this bike was stolen, and the new Assenmacher replaced it as my main transportation. Can't say I missed the old bike, but it was a trusty and reliable old friend for many years.

Which turns out to be a restoration issue. This bike's in the shop. Restored? What does "restored" mean for a custom bike whose components changed pretty much at the owner's whim? Obviously I'm not returning it to original trim.

Well, that's a little problematical. I've decided to restore the bike to approximately 1982 tune, with perhaps a little leeway for circumstance and preference. When I get it back, this will be the setup:

• Assenmacher frame (currently wearing its second paint job; I may return the frame to the original scheme this winter).
• Stronglight 99 crankset (50/42)--basically the original crankset.
• Phil Wood bottom bracket (dates from 1978).
• Phil Wood pedals (this particular set was originally my sister's, and is quite worn).
• SunTour Cyclone derailleurs (the rear's a jewel, off eBay).
• Universal 61 brakes (another eBay purchase).
• Campy Record headset (the bike's original).
• Cinelli handlebars, Sunshine ProAm gooseneck (old--there's a story here; mebbe some day).
• Unicanitor saddle (newly purchased) and SR seatpost (quite old, but not the bike's original).
• Phil hubs (brand new), Weinmann A-124 rims (used; finicky things, but I like 'em).
• Winner freewheel [13-26], Sedisport chain (both are what they call NOS [New Old Stock]--in this case, the stock is mine).
• Blackburn rack (the original, and one of the very first Jim built--long before he was an established manufacturer. It's quite beat up, but it belongs on this bike.)

That's a bike with a personality; you'll not see another with a component mix quite like it. I like to think it reveals a cyclist who had a fairly tight budget but liked quality. When the bike was new it got really interesting responses. Should be fun to show it off to knowledgeable cyclists nowadays.

A few race notes:

• Women's road racing has improved since I last watched; the tactical awareness is better, and the field is stronger.  If today was any example, there's still too little teamwork.
• This was a pretty brutal race.
• The Canadian team was using what I think of as Stetina brother tactics:
  • One of the riders took a flyer.
  • As she got reeled in, another Canadian took a flyer.
  • Worked better for Wayne and Dale, though.
  • During and after Susan Palmer-Komar's stint at the front, I was hoping she could pull it off.  Nice work.
• The winning break was nicely done, by both riders.  The second group, though, frittered things away; when they needed to regroup and close the gap, the racers turned defensive and tactical.  Bad form.  The bronze-medal finish was tactically interesting, though; a wide mix of talents and strategies were in play.  Predictably, the medal went to the sprinter.
• I need to find my way back to the sport.

Too bad NBC scattered the Men's Road coverage through last night's broadcast, rather than showing the entire race.

Compuserve's forums had little rooms off in the corner where folks could scribble down profiles of who they were and what interested them. (Perhaps they still do; it's been a long time since I checked.) I was wandering around the Model 100 Special Interest Group one day and found a note in the member profiles inquiring whether anyone had any experience with or interest in carrying a Model 100 on a bicycle. Since my laptop rode my bike to work every morning, and regularly travelled between Lansing and Kalamazoo, I figured I was the target audience and dropped the member a line.

That was my original encounter with Steve Roberts. Steve replied with a chatty and enthusiastic note explaining what he was up to. It was immediately apparent that we were really talking about different things, but Steve's ambition to live a connected life on a bicycle was and remains one of my life's roads not taken. We traded a few notes, even after he hit the road, but this was essentially a casual contact.

Over the next few years it was pretty hard for me not to notice Steve's project. He supported himself partly by writing articles about the trip, so friends would discover him in whatever magazine they read and bring him to my attention--and I'd say "Yeah, I knew Steve when...."

Looked Steve up on a whim last night. He now writes blog-like notes (with photos) daily, and a real blog as well. Steve's still the same guy--tinkerer, promoter, enthusiast--I remember from twenty years ago, but now he's building a Microship and planning a long cruise. (But first a shakedown voyage.)

Actually, he's building two. It takes a really odd sort of confidence to build a boat for a woman who hasn't yet arrived. Looks like she has. Steve's life works for him. As does mine for me.