DWMITCHELL61

Hello... Cyclist from the 1980's... I started out with a Sears Free Spirit w/hydraulic brakes (I called it Heavy Metal) in 1985 when I was in the USAF. A guy with a Nishiki touring bike drug me around the Sierra foothills on that thing and I got in shape real quick. I entered the base triathlon as a team member for the cycling portion and made first place in team cyclist! I then found a free Schwinn Varsity that was slightly "lighter" and restored it, stripped off the apple green, bought factory lacquer primer, chrome silver, transparent red and blue, and clear coat. It turned out a real pretty patriotic candied apple tricolor, red, silver, blue. Then I bought a 1985 Schwinn Passage fully loaded touring bike with all the panniers, front & rear racks, handlebar bag, Huret rear derailleur. My friend and I rode every road within 100 miles of the base, and the Chico Velo Wildflower century every year for 4 years. I also traded a Diamondback mountain bike for a Nishiki Cascade with the Suntour XC groupo, had the triwheel rear derailleur and Power Cam brakes front and rear. I rode it in. NORBA 100k race at North Star ski resort. I wore those two bikes' running gear out. Then took a day job, exiting the military in 1997.A year ago, my wife got me a Sunseeker Eco-Tad recumbent trike. I also gave a red, white and blue Specialized Hard Rock MTB in storage needing a restoration.