#ddsiple

Be Australian This guy came from Australia with to ride across the U.S., he thought by motorcycle (due to some miscommunication) in 1976. When informed that it was a bicycle trip, he adjusted and went ahead with it! A powerful rider on simple equipment...To this day anytime I'm struggling on a bike ride, I think of him and berate myself with the words "be Australian!". I recall he had a soup can with a wire handle for making tea at campsite. photo: Ron McClure [I have corrected this comment as I have learned a bit more about his story in Sept 2015. What I learned, about his mistakenly thinking he had signed up for a motorcycle trip and going anyway, only improves the story!]

Skating to the Circleville Pumpkin Show On today's ride I came across a group (about 7 people) that included this energetic in-line skater, Brent. Their turn-around goal was the Pumpkin Show in Circleville, making for a 50+ mile trip.

Andy Coady on Hetchins Scan of cover of Cycling August 10, 1974. A nice shot of a Hetchins in action, as opposed to collected and leaning on somebody's back fence.

Sunday Ride The view of the descent down to Creek Rd., looking east on Swope Rd. When I started riding in this area in the late '60's, gravel roads were perhaps in the majority. Swope is the last road within 7 miles of my house where I can get a taste of the good old days.

Feeding the skater Be sure to feed your skater periodically or it will die.

Frejus in the Desert From the cover of a Pedal Pushers Chronicle in the1970's. A Frejus track bike with sand dunes. Photographer: Kim Layton. One of my favorite cycling images.

Bob Jackson and Hetchins Headtube View Bob Jackson w/ curly stays (from days when Bob Jackson owned Hetchins) and black Hetchins Spyder.

1984 Schwinn Paramount with chrome replacement fork The replacement fork supplied by Schwinn in 1988 has Shimano drop-outs. The original fork had, of course, Campy drop-outs.