Minus Ten Review- 20

The Badger's plans

Ten years ago on the blog this week I was yakking about one of my "Special Projects" which I had done back then by two different custom frame and fork builders. Yes- I had two custom bikes made at the same time. I've never had any done before then or since.

This was a Badger. Now, if you know anything about that brand, there was a lot of bad blood related to this builder starting right around the time I had this frame done up. I won't get in to all of that, and I am not at all interested in dredging up old hurts and hang ups any of you may have concerning Badger frames or the guy that made them. It was what it was, and it is over now.

But when this was being planned, all was on the up and up, at least as far as I knew. Originally, this frame was supposed to be a single speed, but then things went on, and on, and on..... I had heard a few rumblings of bad news surrounding the builder, and I had no updates for several weeks. I was worried, I'll admit. Then I got a call from the builder. "This was suposed to be a geared frame, right?".

Yeah..... Right. I figured I'd be lucky to get it, so just go with the flow, even though the Industry 9 wheels I had purchased for it were single speed specific. Dang it......

Then there was my last ride with "Mr 24". That happened at the Boy Scout Camp. or "Camp Ingawanis". The North side, of course, because that is where we rode back then. I was on my old black geared Raleigh XXIX+G. I remember my BB-5 brakes came out of adjustment and I about ate it on a fast down hill corner. Anyway, I never have ridden with Jeff Kerkove since then, and if I am not mistaken, it was one of the last times he was around the area to ride.I guess I didn't really know it, but it was his way of saying "goodbye", perhaps.

That weekend ten years ago was the Dirty Kanza 200. I was supposed to go, but I ended up playing at a friend's outdoor wedding. I couldn't get out of that gig. I remember thinking the whole time at the wedding that I'd rather be in Kansas that weekend, and I still do. Oh well. I believe that was the earliest the DK200 was ever run also. It would have been good, but that was not in my cards.