Thinning out was really to bring in some cash, but equally to clear a few items that I had for the sake of having them rather than they were what I desired to build or ride, hard to describe really.
I have had a really bad year for my dogs health and lost my big boy Timmeu about 6 weeks ago now so have had a lot of bills, while he is/was insured and that will come back in the end, my other dog Star is not insured due to her past before we got her and is/ has been needing a lot of testing and medication. It just chips away at the finances thats all, no sob story or the like.
I sold the Colnago master, despite it being a work of art and a really beautiful frame, but, as I have found out in the past, I still go to, and most likely always will go to my Merckx. That was a hard decision just because of what it is and knowing that I wouldn't find better again and would never buy the same twice anyway.
I then put for sale my 52 Hobbs Blue Riband frame and fork. After the Colnago sold I was secretly sort of hoping that nobody would be interested, but typically I had a few people interested, mainly from one of the old steel roadbike threads I frequent on facebook, and alas it went off to a nice women in Ohio in the States for a price I couldn't refuse, even with a £110 shipping price. It was a truely beautiful frame but it wasn't my dream old frame so off it went.
I have been looking at a new build as Caleb wants to come touring with me and I am not sure what way we will go but I have been looking at an Xtracycle freerider, and building the frame with the top rail for him and the side rails for panniers rather than cargo bags and doing all the fittings myself, running boards etc. Then fitting this to the Long Haul trucker. A lot cheaper than buying a cargo type frameset.
So some funds will obviously go to a new purchase before the spring.
Jamie
