In the summer of 2000 – I had returned to Chicago from a 9 month trip of sorts, three of them in Guatemala.  I had been connected to many things in life and was grateful to be back in Chi-town.  I had started a corporate gig shortly upon my return from travels and I was ridiculously surprised that I landed that gig after having told my then would be boss that I was farming for 3 months prior – he hired me anyway.   Good thing I knew what I was talking about.  The boss who hired me was a large fella – he tipped the scales at some 325 lbs.  He used to ride to work though – on his commuting bike, bike rack, lights, and all.  He was even in charge of leading a cycling club in Chicago on the weekends.  I couldn’t really understand his bike riding ability and desire given his weight.  He always talked to us staffers about getting our butts on a bike – he kept that drive going for the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation for the ‘Bike to Work’ initiatives every chance he got and even offered breakfast in May for those of us that did. One day – after many years of self abuse in a ‘rock n’ roll’ type  of lifestyle, I decided that I really needed to get back into shape.  So after I finished smoking another cigarette, I decided – time to buy a bike.  The year was 2003, I bought a commuting bike, and I started riding to work.   That same year, my boss was on a mission, to drop his weight down significantly.  My goal was to just get faster and get comfortable riding.  I had a 10 mile commute to work, he had a 15 mile commute.  We did this daily.  I got more fit, and I eventually quit the bad habits, and even got into racing and getting much faster than I would have ever thought possible.  My boss – who had by this time left my company, got married, and bought a beautiful home in Rogers Park had also lost at least 100 lbs.  He was a new man, and a very happy man having stuck to his goals – he did it and won big.  After his huge weight loss – he treated himself to a Rivendell and it was gorgeous, it was then that I developed a fetish or an affinity for gorgeous handmade beautiful bikes. The other day I was just recently in front of a Pinarello Prince  at Mission Bay Multisport – the kind doods there asked me what I thought – and my reaction was really “I guess its okay”.  They were a bit dumbfounded by my reaction but understood that I was truly a dirtbag and that my tastes are slightly bent on the dirt bikes.  To me the fly road rides are a nice thing to see – but my jonesing doesn’t go for a Prince.  It goes to the Rivendell – the inspiration that got me to ride again from the doldrums – to appreciate my city more by bike.   Robert Sindelar – thanks for your inspiration, I now ride as often as I can and I ride to work because of you and I have a sick fascination with all handmade beauties that are rideable.  Its not the wheels, its the person and I’ve learned that.  Who said corporate america couldn’t teach you anything….I spent a few minutes the other afternoon passing out ‘Bike Safety’ brochures from the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation to every single person in my office.  I had Robert Sindelar on my mind.  A few folks told me they wanted to buy a bike and bike to work – they said it was cool that I did it and they feel they should try.  And so the circle begins anew….