In a recent thread where I asked for some advice about tubular tires and gluing, I posted the following in reply to someone’s response:
"In the first place, I’m a farmer and I live in a very remote, rural area. The nearest LBS is 45 miles away.
In the second place, the mechanic there is a kid just out of high school who has a great line of BS, but knows less about most mechanical issues than I do and who is hung over many times when I see him. I’ve seen his glue jobs. No thanks. (I did a training ride with him one time and couldn’t stand to be behind him in the paceline. He smelled like stale beer.)"
I never imagined the trouble this remark would cause. Frankly, I never imagine anyone I knew ever read my posts. This statement was created based on a composite of characters and episodes I’ve encountered in dealing with a number of shops since I moved to a remote, rural area a number of years ago.
The problem is, people still associate me with the shop in the town where I used to live. (I did have a funny experience with a young man who works there recently. He had a rough night and it was a little interesting riding with him the next morning. But that was a one time thing. He’s a VERY sharp young man.)
I’m not going to reveal the name of the bike shop that was at the heart of my little composite profile. If you look where I live on a map, you’ll see that there are towns with bike shops that are all about the same distance in every different direction. I’ve done a little business with all of them. The shop I had in mind when I wrote that probably doesn’t have a clue who I am, though I’ve been into their store a couple dozen times. The kid mechanic who talks a good line of BS isn’t A kid, it’s the kid of the week … a new one every week.
I just need to clear this up. The Great Escape in Anderson, SC was NOT the shop I was referring to when I wrote what I wrote. In retrospect, I can understand why that was assumed by people who know me or who used to know me. People forget (or aren’t aware) that I’ve moved. I have apologized to the people at that shop for any harm my careless remark may have caused. I’m apologizing again here in the forum where my remarks appeared. For the record, there are bike shops closer to me than The Great Escape. I make the longer drive for many good reasons. They’ve truly served me well.
You think that you’re quite annonymous living in a rural area, but you know what small town gossip is all about. You just don’t expect it to happen over the internet.
We also live in the boonies but was very surprised to find out that Litespeed Smith was reading my posts and lives in the same area. Later we met and he was quite surprised that he already knew me on ST.
You and I have exchanged a few posts and PMs, you’ve always seemed like nothing but the nicest of guys.
I am sure we have all posted things here we would be pretty embarassed about if certain people read them. I even asked for relationship advice in the Lavender Room, what the hell was I thinking. Your post of yourself in your slippers and boxer shorts in your barn riding your trainer gives you one free foot in the mouth pass I think, haha. Take care.
I always find it interesting how people, trying to stay out of trouble, by being vague end up in trouble.
I think if you have a beef about someone or something you better off making it very clear who or what your talking about as apposed to vague generalizations.
