The Queen

The Queen died this week. I find it interesting that Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom, and the British Commonwealth is referred to as “The Queen,” and everyone knows who that is. There are other countries in the world that are Monarchies with a King or Queen and a Royal Family, but I cannot name them all off the top of my head.

I find it “Neat,” (For want of a better word.) that countries like Britain have a head of state, whose ancestry can be traced back hundreds of years, and are direct descendants of former heads of state. A symbolic, non-political head of state in name only that is, but never-the-less it gives one a comforting sense of continuity.

That continuity has now been broken, and for me is a loss that took several days to actually sink in. I was 16 years old and just started work early in 1952 when the Queen’s father George VI died. Elizabeth’s Coronation came a year later in 1953. For those born around or since that date, The Queen has always been there. Her face on postage stamps, and on paper money and coins.

Her presence always gave me a sense that the government was somehow less powerful. Whether that was true or not, I am not sure, but I always felt that whoever was in charge, it would not affect my life that much, and they could be booted out of office in the next election.

I carried this feeling over to these United States where I have lived for over 43 years, more than half my life. As a Green Card-carrying Resident, I have no vote, but I fret far less over who is President, or what the Government does. Instead, I care more who my friends are and what I can do for others.

The Queen did not choose who she was, that was thrust upon her, but it was a crown she carried well. Sure, she was a celebrity with all the wealth and luxury that it brings, but it was not a position that she could slip away from and quietly retire.

She lived her life with dignity, as a servant to her people. A reminder that we are all servants in some way or other. We have no choice where we came from, but we do get to decide where we are headed and who we choose to accompany us on that journey.

Ferdi Kubler 1919 – 2016

In the final days of 2016 Ferdi Kubler, one the last of my boyhood cycling heroes died at the age of 97.

Up until yesterday the 29th. December 2016, Ferdinand "Ferdi" Kubler was the oldest living Tour de France winner, having won in 1950. He was World Road Champion in 1951.

He raced against Fausto Coppi, Gino Bartali, and Louison Bobet, and on any given day was equal to or could even beat these riders. He was a climber who could also win in a sprint.

1950, the year Kubler won the tour, was the year I got my first lightweight bike. I was 14 years old, still at school, and too young to race.That didn’t stop me from following all the big races.

The Tour de France was then as it is now, the biggest one of all. There was no live television broadcasts. Just photographs and written stories. The British “Cycling” weekly magazine was the first news source of what was going on.

Every year during the Tour, I would order the French sports papers, LeEquipe and Miroir Sprint. These would arrive two or three weeks later, but were full of large format action photos. I knew only a smattering of French, but could pick out the names.

In a very short time could recognize the individual riders without referring to the captions.

Just as today I can recognize all the top riders, and often watch TV race coverage with a foreign language commentary, or with no sound at all.

And so it was this 14 year old kid from England, followed this group of larger than life heroes. Names like Italian cyclists Fausto Coppi, Gino Bartali, and Fiorenzo Magni. French riders, Louison Bobet, Jean Robic, and Raphael Geminiani. Belgian’s Stan Ockers and Rik Van Steenbergen. And then there were a Swiss pair Ferdi Kubler and Hogo Koblet

Over the years, I have written in detail about all these riders, there are links to the articles in the above names. The only one on this list still living is Raphael Geminiani. Who is at the time of writing 91 years old.  Many died young, Fausto  Coppi caught malaria and died in 1960 at age 40. Hugo Koblet died in a car crash in 1964, aged 39.

 
Above: Kubler leads Fausto Coppi

Ferdi Kubler was one of the great riders of his time. Like the others of his era, his best years were lost during WWII when he was restricted to racing in Switzerland. He was already 31 when he won the Tour.

In the Grand Tour events, Kubler won the 1950 Tour de France in front of Stan Ockers of Belgium and Louison Bobet of France. He was also 2nd in the 1954 Tour de France behind Louison Bobet of France. In addition, Kubler won the Points Jersey in the Tour de France that year as well.

He also stood on every podium step of the World Championship Road Race. He was 2nd. in 1949 and 3rd. in 1950. Won in 1951. Now that is perseverance and consistency.

Kubler won a 3rd. podium spot in the 1951 and 1952 Giro d'Italia. He won many of the important races of his day. For example the Liege-Bastogne-Liege Classic twice, in 1951 and 1952.

I salute you Ferdi Kubler, a great champion, a gentleman and my hero.

I wrote about you on your 90th. birthday.

There were times when I felt you would live forever, or at least to be 100.

You did come pretty close.

Addendum Dec 31/16

The picture below Was sent to me by ex Manchester Wheeler member Brian Booth. It shows Ferdi Kubler enjoying a game of snooker at the Manchester, Fallowfield Track Clubhouse, during a visit to the UK in the early 1950s. Brian's Dad is on the right wearing glasses. On the left in the shadows holding a cue is Reg Harris, British World Sprint Champion and famous Manchester Wheelers member.

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R. Brian Baylis 1953 – 2016

It was a sad moment this morning when I learned that framebuilder and painter Brian Baylis had died the previous evening. I felt I definitely needed to write some sort of tribute, as Brian was one of the first people I met and worked along-side when I came to San Marcos, California in the early 1980s.

But what to say in writing such a piece, that is the problem. Brian Baylis was such a complex character, even when you knew him, you didn’t really understand exactly where he was coming from, so how does a person begin to explain that personality to others who never knew him. I’ll just have to start at the beginning and do the best I can.

October 1980 I arrived in San Marcos, San Diego County. Having come over from England just the previous year and landed in New Jersey. And if I found that strange, I may as well have landed on a different planet when I arrived in California. I had come to work for Ted Kirkbride, who was sub-contracted to build the Masi frames.

Ted had a frameshop and paint facility, and to defray some of the operating cost he rented space out as a co-op type of situation, to different framebuilders and painters who then shared the space and equipment. Brian was one of the builders who also painted his own frames.

Brian and I were worlds apart when it came to our approach to framebuilding. I set myself a certain high standard, and did my best to maintain that same standard over the years. I didn’t want my customers feeling I had built a better frame for someone else than I had for them. I tried to be consistent.

This is where explaining Brian Baylis is difficult, because I am not suggesting for one moment that he had inconsistent standards or ever turned out shoddy work. It was the exact opposite. He seemed to set some standard beyond even his own capabilities and strove towards that, until he thought he had reached it. Never caring for how long it was taking him to achieve this level of workmanship.

On hearing of his passing, for some reason I thought of a story I once heard of an old wood carver, working on a huge pair of double oak doors. The design was an intricate one with oak leaves and acorns, scrolls and winged cherubs in each corner. Someone asked him, “How do you know when it is finished?” He replied, “It is never finished, they just come and take it away from me.”

For some reason I feel that Brian was like that except there was no one to take it away from him. But he probably kept filing until the desire to paint it took over. Brian’s intricate lug work and filing, was only surpassed by his painting.

I owe a lot of my success to Brian Baylis and indeed the other painters, Jim Allen and Jim Cunningham who were there at that time. I had painted my own frames in the UK, but after arriving at the San Marcos shop, I realized the American market demanded paintwork that was at a whole different level.

Talking to a mutual friend, David Ball, this morning, I mentioned about the little painting tricks I had learned (or stolen.) from Brian. David said, “Brian learned a few tricks from you, in particular frame alignment tricks.”

Looking back, Brian Baylis was the only person who never gave me any grief, at that crazy San Marcs co-op. There was always conflict over the schedule for using the paint booth and other equipment. Brian took two weeks to build one frame so he was never tying up the paint booth or the frame jig.

When I left San Marcos I saw very little of Brian, but always heard how he was doing from our mutual friend. I would see him occasionally at cycling events and shows. It was from David Ball I heard of Brian’s passing this morning.

It is an understement to say Brian Baylis was a colorful character. If my writing here has not done him justice, I have no worries, because I know the body of work he leaves behind always will. I will miss you, Brian, rest in peace my friend.

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Patti Kissinger 1953 - 2015

Patti Kissinger was an artist, she created beautiful pieces of art in glass. Glass blown and formed while hot and in a semi-molten state. She also made stained glass windows, and lamp shades.

Patti was also a songwriter, played guitar and was a working musician. That is how I met her briefly in 2013. She had just moved to Charleston, South Carolina and showed up one night at a Songwriters’ Open Mic that I attend regularly.

As I usually do when I meet someone new at one of these events, I gave Patti a copy of my novel, Prodigal Child.

She was only in the Charleston area for a month or so, and she moved on to North Carolina.

Patti was trying to re-start her glass blowing business, and had to move where ever that was going to be feasible.

She emailed a few times, asked me questions about a road bike, as she thought she might get one, but she never did because soon after she got sick.

Around Christmas 2013 Patti was diagnosed with breast cancer.

I sent her a card with some cash inside. I wanted to help out in a practical way.

Working musicians don’t make much money as it is, when they get seriously ill they have even less.

Patti had a double mastectomy, and an intense round of radiation treatment.

She gradually got better, and she moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where she re-started her glass business.

Then a few months ago the cancer came back, and it took Patti Kissinger all too soon on March 26th.

Yesterday a package arrived in the mail, it was a small piece of Patti’s glass work. (Picture left.)

I only met Patti, two, maybe three times face to face. We emailed each other a few more times. I regret I never had the opportunity to know her even better.

Maybe she remembered that I once gave her a book, or that I sent a Christmas card with a few dollars in it. Maybe it was because Patti was a multi-talented artist and she could relate to work I had done.

Whatever the reason, when Patti found out she was dying, she had included my name on a list of people she wanted to have a piece of her art, and that touched me deeply.

I will always remember you Patti Kissinger, and I will treasure this little vase that was sent on your behalf. You will live on in the memories of those who knew and loved you, and you will also live on in the wonderful body of work you left behind.

Above: In the FBI Building in Denver, Colorado.

More pictures of Patti Kisinger's Glass can be seen here: http://www.prismglassgallery.com/

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Stan Higginson 1931 – 2014

Former British National 25 Mile TT Champion and Competition Record Holder, Stan Higginson, died on August 31^st. He would have been 83 on the 20^th of September.

On May 1^st, 2009 I wrote an article here titled “The Higginson Twins: A Pedaling Phenomenon.” Back in 1952 the year I started racing at the age of 16, the two fastest time-trialists for the 25 mile distance were Stan Higginson and his twin brother Bernard Higginson. The picture above is a recent one of the twins, Stan is on the right.

Picture left: From 1952. Stan on the left, Bernard right.

In the 1950s and before that time, British Time - Trial events were almost exclusively ridden on a single fixed wheel.

It was common back then to ride thought the winter months on a single fixed sprocket with a gear ratio around 20 x 48 or 21 x 48, a gear in the lower 60 inch range.

A popular early season event back then was a 72 inch gear restricted 25 mile TT.

Everyone was restricted to a gear ratio no bigger than 48 x 18, which leveled the playing field and those who had learned to pedal fastest during the winter prevailed.

The 25 mile competition record (Unrestricted.) in 1952 was 57 minutes something. It was still a huge achievement for anyone to beat the hour for a 25, a feat that only a few top riders could manage. Stan and Bernard Higginson made history that year when they both beat the hour in a 72 inch restricted event.

Stan’s time was 59 mins. 20 secs, which meant he was pedaling at over 118 revs per minute for 25 miles. Bernard Higginson clocked 59. 48 for 2nd place and third that morning was the previous year, 1951 25 record holder, Dave Keeler with a time of 59.58.

As a result of posting the above article, Stan contacted me and shared with me some interesting pieces of information. He and Bernard normally raced on a single fixed gear of 84.4 inches. (50 x 16) He said it suited their slight build of 5’ 9 1/2” (176.5cm.) weighing 129 lb. (58.5kg.) and their very low profile positions.

Throughout the winter they trained on 62 inch gear. (46 x 20) This no doubt gave the twins their fast pedaling abilities.

Between 1952 and 1955 they won seven British National 25 Mile Championship Medals. 3 firsts, 2 seconds, and a third. Stan Higginson broke competition record 3 times. Their team. Halesowen C&AC won 3 National Championships, and broke competition record 4 times.

Stan’s fastest 25 was 56min. 21sec. and Bernard’s fastest time was 57min. 05sec.

As a 16 year old, just starting out Stan Higginson was one of my heroes, someone I aspired to be. Even though looking back he was only a few years older than me. As we go through life others inspire us, and hopefully we inspire others.

Stan had apparently had heart problems for the last eleven years. He is survived by his brother Bernard, his wife Helen, and his two children Michael and Carol.

There will celebration of his life is taking place on Monday 15th September at 2pm at St Laurence Church in Alvechurch , Worcs B48 7SB. UK.

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