Yesterday I rode the old Galmozzi the five miles to the Whalan (pop 63) pie shop, rated by Yahoo Foods as the "Best Pie in America". I am doubtful about that - I have eaten a lot of pieces of my Danish grandmother's pie, but it is good pie in an old-fashioned lard crust and fresh fruit sort of way. Regardless, my grandmother is long gone, and it is well worth the 10 mile bike ride on a nice sunny afternoon. I rolled in five minutes before closing, picked out two pieces that looked like they would travel well, and had them boxed up. I boarded the Old Gal for the one-handed ride back to the 'Boro. This was silly, I have a very cool Galmozzi musette, tailor made for pie toting - next time. On the way back I noticed a subtle click/click every revolution - a bad wheel bearing I would guess. It would probably go on forever if it didn't drive me crazy first.
Later I was sitting at the trail head in Lanesboro getting a drink of water, trying to regain my click-clack senses, and figure out how best to get up that damned steep Church Hill to get back to Lorna while carrying pie. The Rooster started drawing a crowd. Well, actually it drew four people - it drew a small crowd. The normal questions were posed. How do you shift it? Are the wheels fragile? Is that seat comfortable? My favorite was, The Lady, "What year is it?" Me, "About 1950." The Lady, "Are you the original owner?" Me, "Huh?"
I need a new selfie photo. I haven't cut my hair in a year or two, I'm getting a little gaunt and saggy, but I'd have to be 90 years old to be the original owner of that bicycle. I hope I don't look quite that old.
9 comments:
So who was the original owner, Gunnar?
Speaking of which, ask me sometime over a beer to tell you the story of a black ram named Baa Baa, an original owner, and a nasty scar still visible some 35 years later on my left forearm.
It was originally built for Giuseppe Luigi Pieronito, a regional rider of no repute on the ignominious Prappo racing team, who bribed their way to victory for 3 1/2 seasons before being exposed by the team leader's jilted lover's sister's aunt.
If that racin' team had eaten some rhubarb pie out of a feed zone musette they might have amounted to somethin'.
...bribed their way to victory. LOL! I'll have to try that, cuz straight racing ain't cutting it for me.
I may have to "find" a vintage Prappo Racing Team jersey with a team motto and the appropiate Campy and Galmozzi sponsor advertising.
I'd sport one.
Also, with a narrative like that, do you like Wes Anderson movies? I think you would. Check out 'The Grand Budapest Hotel", assuming you have not.
I am a very dull boy with a short attention span. I have watched very few movies all the way through in years and I have idea who directed any of them. L did recommend that hotel thing. An infomercial?
Not at all. It's a "feature film"...it's just that the backstory on everbody is so detailed and fantastic. You should check it out.
I was playing dumb. Which is surprisingly easy.
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