Back on the Raven after a rough start to 2017

[djd828]

It's been quite a while since I posted to the forum.  It also seems quite a while since I have been able to do any riding.  2017 has not been easy on me as I was sidelined with a terrible case of the flu followed shortly afterwards with, what I consider, relatively minor surgery.   Thankfully, after several months off the bike, I was able to do a short out and back ride in Pittsburgh over the Memorial Day weekend.  It was a course I rode on a regular basis almost 40 years ago---it brought back some very good memories.  It felt great being back on the bike after being sidelined for such a long time.  I still dream of my grand tour and hope to find the time to do it soon.  Here is a short blog post and some pics from my modest Memorial Day ride:

http://dinkel.us/?p=50958

Dave

[Andre Jute]

Super photos, Dave. The featured photo is almost Japanese.

[Danneaux]

So pleased to see you're back on the bike however short or long the journeys. All best wishes for a "better" summer and year ahead so you can ride even more and -- perhaps! -- take that Grand Tour of your dreams.

Thanks for sharing the delightful photos and blog with us.

Dan.

[geocycle]

Glad you are back on.  That omelette made me feel hungry!

[John Saxby]

Great photos, Dave, and the Raven looks to be en bonne forme. Good to know that you're back on the bike -- when I saw your post, I thought that maybe you'd gone for a ride to celebrate the hockey team's narrow escape from the marauding upstarts from the North 

[Matt2matt2002]

Hi Dave
Great pictures
Thanks for sharing.
I ride a black Raven here in Aberdeen Scotland UK
Interesting colours on yours.
May I ask its age and provenance?

[djd828]

Thanks all for the well wishes---

John, I am not sure how the Pens are doing it this year...there have been several times where I have given up on them...what kind of fan does that make me?  I still think the final is far from over...even with a 2 game lead.  It's been a very strange journey this year.  I still hope to make it up to your area soon but I'm now trying to get my legs and lungs back in shape so don't know when that will be.

Dan, I hope to be back in your part of the country in October as I am having a rando frame built by a Portland framebuilder.  I can't seem to stop myself from building bikes....but this is definitely the last....I am running out of space and money. 

Matt, The Raven build was a labor of love as I bought the pieces over a 6 month period and had it assembled by a local dealer here in Louisville, KY.  I had an immeasurable amount of help from many folks on the forum during the planning and build---John and Dan were extremely generous with their time helping me along the way.  I think there is a very long post that details my build process:

http://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=11473.0

I believe my bike is only 18 months old so it still has a lot of life left.

Thanks again everyone,

Dave