Sunday, November 7, 2010

Big Stampede

Man, don't you hate showing up somewhere when you know you did not bring enough money??
That is how I felt today at the Big Stampede at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Big Bike Swap meet. Let face it, alot of this stuff was people trying to clean out the shed, you know who you are. Some things however were good deals on good stuff, and my hawkeyes were really on, I think I had a little spidey sense on some things.
First thing, Joey, Trey and I arrive. This was my first time, so I followed Joey's lead, which lead us right past the entrance door to the back parking lot and to the United Healthcare van and trailer. Knowing that UHC was going to be switching bikes for this year, I figured Joey would have a good chance of scoring a TT frame, but alas it was not too be, they were still really proud of the used ones they had, but while he was comtemplating the need for one of his two kidneys, I spied something of my own. In the bottom of one of the plastic bins was a container of Eurostyle Chamois butter..OOHHHH, Daddy likey this stuff, so I reach in and grab it, uncovering another new container. Oh man, two of these will easily get me close to end of summer. Price was too cheap to mention, so I scored both. Man, that felt good. I bought little man a T-shirt. Well, I actually grabbed it and thought it was one for me without actually looking at the shirt unfolded. You cannot go wrong with T-shirts, no matter whose cycling teams name is on it, you need T-shirts...Remember this when TwoUpSports puts out some merchandise, you need as many T-shirts as you can get.
Next off, we head into the actually meat and potatoes area of the deal. Warmer temp wise anyway in there. I swear if I had a van and about 10 g's, I would have came home with a butt load. There were mountainbikes, some team bikes, other little bits and pieces that I really would have liked. One thing I had my mind set on was the Defeet booth, Defeet is the S-H-I-_, and when it comes to socks during this time of year, the wool they have is great. I scored me six pair and a bag to put the stuff in. I wanted to get me a merino wool base layer, but socks was all they had on the menu. Talked to some people I had not seen since season, which was cool. I then made my way over to the Team Type 1 tent. Oh man, they have an SLR team edition, little scuff, but I have been meaning to check one of these out, but did not want to spring for a new one..Cheap a$$ I know. "Hey dude, how much...?" "10" Wait, there is a Flite team edition, same thing, little scuff, but other than that. " How about this one?" "That one is 15." "How about 20 for both?" "Okay"
Cool, I loved to haggle! Put those two in the bag, and made my way around. I was also on a mission for my boy Jae to see if I could find some good race clinchers for him. I found a guy who had a set of Ksyrium Heliums, but I guess someone told him that this was a show where you brought something, put it on display, but never intended to sell it. I offered, he declined, I walked off.
I found another saddle, and hooked Todd up as he walked in the door, since it was the exact saddle he rides and loves, but in a full carbon railed version. I kick myself now, since I could have turned that one into some quick profit, but hey, sometimes you have to help a brother out.
I saw various other things that I would have liked. There was a set of headlights, that I should have sprung for, even if they only made it thru the winter, the price was a steal. There was also a guy there with a steel single speed Bianchi mountainbike, that I really wanted. I don't have a mountainbike, and this one would have done me just fine on the trails around the house. I wished I could have waited on him to really start squirming not to have to take that one back home with him.
All in all, I felt like I did well, and I know that next season, I am going with more coin and make sure I get some other things I want.

HUMP

No comments:

Post a Comment