Event report:

Friday night, May 3rd.

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Folks arrive from all around the globe..
Many stopping by cycles de ORO bike shop.

About 35 rowdy (not really) early-arriving folk had a group dinner and drinks at Pastabilities, a charming little restaurant just a block away from cycles de ORO.. A jolly good time was had by all and the wait staff was great, even under the stress of this gang!

           
An impromptu swap/beer/BS session sprung up late Friday night! (Wayne Bingham spy pics!)  
 

Saturday, May 4:  

- A 10 AM Classic Rendezvous Intro ride of approximately 25 miles began from cycles de ORO Bike Shop. About 15 hail & hearty riders went off in the occasional misting rain to see the highlights of Greensboro. The Greensboro Velo Club's very own. ever loquacious Mary Hughes chatted away at every point, thoroughly entertaining the out of towners as well as the local folk..

- The Classic Rendezvous Seminars began at approximately 1 PM at the Lewis Recreation Center.. This year (for the first time) there was an informal theme of "British Vintage cycles and their influence"  There were about 70 people in attendance...
This was the All Star cast:

1. Hilary Stone, Bristol, England and associate editor of Cycling Plus magazine, presented a very in-depth look at British accessory and parts manufacturers and charted, with the aid of many slides, the eventual decline and disappearance of these makers.  It was a fascinating view of those companies and their products with added insight as to why they became non competitors in the world bicycle market. Brilliant job, Hilary!

2.   Richard Sachs, Chester, Conn., and a Master bicycle frame maker who began with Witcomb UK and Witcomb USA,  presented a multi faceted presentation:

He gave a very personal relating of his career in bicycle making, a fascinating insight into his frame design philosophies and a look at his beautiful bicycles, complete, as a painted frame alone and even a "bare-naked" frame to show the joining intricacies! Bravo, E-Richie!

Richard Sachs 30th Anniv. Jelly Donut Award

3.  Ray Etherton , Essex, England, and former owner of Classic Bicycles, lived up to his reputation as a cut-up when he began his slide show talk wearing a tartan cap and red wig!

The wry rascal Ray...

He spoke and illustrated eccentric(?) or "unorthodox" British cycle designs, including (among others) taper tubes, twin tubes, curly tubes and Bivalent tubes!!

4.  Dale Brown, Greensboro NC and proprietor of cycles de ORO, gave a slide presentation about his friend and associate, custom frame maker McLean Fonvielle. McLean passed away in 1983 after having initially apprenticed at Holdsworth in London and made fine bicycles frames for 10 years in NC.

The group then descended on Macado's Restaurant in downtown town Greensboro for further food, drink and vintage and classic bicycle conversation...
 

  Sunday May 6

       The weather became sunny and bright and a long day of activities commenced:

- The Cirque Tour de Guilford road ride attracted about 70 riders who seemed to have a great time and  returned to a veritable feast at Lewis Rec center..

- The Cirque Swap meet was a tasty cornucopia of all sorts of bike goods.. More manufacturers reps than ever showed up to "give away" their samples. A total of 54 swap meet spaces were filled ...Vintage bike goods were extremely well represented by vendors such as Peter Paine, Hilary Stone and Ray Etherton from the UK, Brad Wilmarth, Alan Schaeffer (new owner of Bicycle Classics!) John Barron, Sam Fitzsimmons, David Cowie, Larry Black and many more! Wunderbar! 

- The Cirque Vintage bike show was a new high... Over 70 bikes were formally on display with many more in vendors booths which could have been in the count! See the awards and photos to catch a glimpse of the awesome machines on display!

Thanks again to all attendees .... we hope to get together again and have at least as much fun next year!!