Well, it's been three viewings now, including one with my 94 year-old Dad, who watched with tears in his eyes. Absolutely fabulous, jags. I'll watch it again.
Yes, that under-bridge lunch scene (starts at 2:40 in Part 2) was wonderful, where the stove had to be assembled (done it many a time myself) and the pork chop fried in the pan. Homemade bread, a pot of jam, and real butter; a proper cyclist's lunch with the meat in the days before energy bars and gu energy gels. I'm not sure we're better off now.
At last, a man with toes like mine! (see pic); this is what a coupla hundred-thousand cycling miles in Detto 74s and toe clips will do to your big toes. No point switching to clipless now.
Another scene that really got to me was the familiar sound of the screwdriver-as-centerpunch on the freewheel cover (starts at 4:39 on Part 1). I also used Regina freewheels when I first started riding some serious distances in the late-'70s, and they had little hairsprings that tensioned the pawls; when they wore enough, they would sometimes let go, making for a freewheel that never locked up. When that happened, the only remedy was a toe strap to fix the cogs to the spokes for gentle use till one could get home or make a field-replacement. I learned how to replace them by winding new ones and installing them this way, thanks to Ian Hibell's writings. Money was tight for me at the time, and piano wire from the hobby shop was a lot cheaper for a poor uni student than a whole new freewheel. They didn't last long at 8,000-12,000 annual miles. If you look really close, you can see how Bill holds the pawls shut with a wind of thread or dental floss as he lowers the freewheel body (with cogs mounted) over the portion still on the hub. Once it is properly seated he snakes out the floss, and the pawls snap into place. All that's left is screwing on the cover-plate and hammering it home with the screwdriver and a rock. Man, it was heaven when I "discovered" SunTour freewheels...first the 8.8.8., then the Compe and Pro-Compe, and I thought I'd died and gone to heaven when the Winner and New Winner series arrived, the latter with adjustable cones. No more dead freewheel springs to replace on-tour by the side of the road. Goodbye, Regina! I still think their brass-and-black chains were the prettiest. I kept a few links from my old ones as a souvenir too nice to throw away.
And...Bill's story of the Moroccan sheep's-eye stew and the castor oil that followed! Sure nice he eventually got the motorbike to take his wife on holiday so they could enjoy a trip together
Man...I used to dream of a life like his...still do, for that matter. Bill Houston really led a perfect life, in a way. I wonder...is he still around? He'd be in his mid-90s now; wouldn't be surprised if he was.
My! What a find, jags! Well found! Well found, indeed!
Best,
Dan. (off for another viewing)
