1976 Joe Breeze road bike

[Breezin]

In 1982, I made a road tandem for a ride in the Alps that year. Otis rode the 1979 trans-con Ritchey with his wife Kate, and I rode mine with my friend Barb. We rode from Grenoble east over a dozen passes including the Grimsel, Furka, Albula, Stelvio and Gavia. Then headed down to Florence via Vicenza (and Campagnolo), and rental car back to Zurich by way of Lucerne.

The Campi shot is from their original factory near the center of Vicenza. I guess someone still runs down there everyday to keep that plaque shiny.

-Joe

 

[Old Ned]

Great memories Joe, I admire you for climbing all those passes on tandems, hard enough on solos! It must have been a great holiday.

Mind you, you (we!) were all a lot younger then!

 

[Breezin]

Great memories Joe, I admire you for climbing all those passes on tandems, hard enough on solos! It must have been a great holiday.

Mind you, you (we!) were all a lot younger then!

Ned,

I did another such tour, though on single bikes, with Tom Ritchey in 1999. 16 Alpine passes in 6 days. Tom hasn't slowed down a bit.

Following are two German guys (from Bavaria, no?) we found heading over the Stelvio (the longest sustained climb in Europe with 6,000 feet of climbing, 48 switchbacks) celebrating their ride 50 years earlier. They first did it (and the Gavia) in 1932. One of the bikes there was with them in '32, a single-speed! They were a great inspiration, and I do hope to be back for more.

Coming to England next week, south of Birmingham.

-Joe

 

[garethrl]

Time this thread went back to the top instead of languishing on page x. I keep going back to it to stare at some of the increadible machines!

 

[Dr S]

Any idea who this was built for and how it was used?

It belongs to the original owner, a Velo Club Tamalpais member and one of the original "Repack" racers, who moved out of the area some 30 years ago, and recently returned. He still rides it.

If you have seen "Klunkerz," the owner is the kid shown bandaged and bleeding from the head after an early Repack race while the voice-over
(Bob Burrowes) intones, "We used to keep first-aid kits stashed along the trail..."

Interesting! One of the few gaps in the the film Klunkerz for me was the absense of Mark Vendetti. From what I gather he was one the key figures in bringing balooners to the attention of the Velo Club Mt Tam riders. Now he is back in the bay area will we finally get to hear his story? Any chance in pointing him in our direction Charlie?

 

[Jamis Diablo]

This topic deserves to be back!
I read it with a lot of joy, such a nice road bikes made bij a pioneer.
And very nice to read his comments and contributions to this thread.
Some very cool pics of bikes we would never have seen otherwise.