DISCLAIMER: the use of an ethnic negative word feeds into this story of life in Little Italy, Italian culture and was explained to me by an Italian American.
Mary and I stopped at Mullets for dinner last week or so and conversated with Joe one of the managers. Riding the high from our eldest daughter's wedding we discussed the river of Hennessy that flowed from the family of the groom. Mary and I were raised ethically Iowan which meant that beer was the liquid of a wedding reception or any occasion. Perhaps wine and champagne, too. And there was always someone in back with a flask of bourbon. But Jesse's family, from Laos, were fans of cognac, specifically Hennessy. Since that day I discovered that it is an Asian thing, usually someone's uncle brings it to big important family events. Prior to this I thought it only existed in rap videos and as discarded empty bottles on the side of the road. I did about three shots of this brandy before saying that I had enough and stayed with the safety of the Pinot Noir I brought. I found Hennessy to be very strong and had the taste of extremely strong bad wine and nightmares.
Joe agreed and said yes, it is a huge Asian thing. But when I told him it was made from grapes he was surprised. Specific white grapes fermented and distilled twice in copper stills and then aged in wood barrels from specific areas of France. Then he asked me if I knew what Dago Red was. Since I did did not despite living in Little Italy he explained.
Simple put, Dago Red is cheap homemade red wine that Italian Americans are known to produce. There was a marketed brand of red wine called Dago Red but they later changed the name.
Joe continued. A prominent Italian immigrant and business owner who shall not be mentioned, had just lost his wife to cancer IIRC. His buddies came over to help him get to sleep. They went into his basement and filled him up with Dago Red and then carried him to bed so he could sleep his first night as a widower. Joe and his friend went into the basement to see what those men had drank. To see what knocked the man out. Downstairs they found the bottle. "Hey, isn't this the wine from the grapes that we stomped 20 years ago as kids," Joe asked. Yes indeed it was. Both of them took a pull from the bottle. It was awful but awfully strong. Kinda like Hennessy Joe said but stronger.
So what does this have to do with bicycles and this damn blog? The connection is this. My Campy derailleur died. Today was its last ride. I should not have ridden the bike but it needed 1 more mile for 500 miles for the year. And I gave the trusty gear switcher a grand send off. A ride for espresso and Italian wine. A fitting tribute to a component that I have used since 1994.
I purchased a brand new road bike in 1994. It was was my first brand new roadie. The Trek 2200 was one of the rare bikes that came adorned with a Campagnolo groupo. Shimano had its evil claws on most bicycle manufacturer's throat. So when I saw a carbon bike frame with Campy components I could not resist. Sure it was not a OCLV frame or the Record groupo but it was on a proven carbon frame despite its aged technology and had Italian stuff on it. The Veloce group was produced to compete with Shimano's 105. A mid level racing group. A little heavier but all the fucntions including Ergo shifters. I had a wife and little kids to feed. I fell in love with that bike and still love it to this day.
23 years later I find myself riding it to work and back on days when I feel the need for speed. No longer my front line roadie I find this bike doing more commuting duties. So it is autumn in Iowa and the trees are littering the trails with leaves and twigs. And the nasty north west wind is playing havoc on the trees so sticks are also strewn on the the trails. I try my best to avoid the debris.
Then I hear the sound of a stick going through the drive train. This time it is louder and nastier than usual. The noise ends and not an ounce of speed is lost. I continue as if nothing has happened. I have a jet over 4 miles left until I reach the comfort of home. I assume that shifted the back cogs during these last 4 miles but I may just have been going to and fro the 53 and 39T.
When I lift the bike to place it in its resting spot next to the other roadies in our house, I notice that the chain is sagging a bit. Place the bike on the stand and take a look. Yes the rear derailleur seems a bit forward so I pull it back and look for the adjusting screws. But it is time to make dinner and forget about the bike.
The next morning I feel like I need to ride this bike again just because it is faster and easier to ride than the single speed commuter which has time times the miles this year and I have nothing to ferry to work. Nothing unusual about the ride to work. After work I see that the chain is sagging again and I place it on the Fixtation that my employer provides at work.
Then I see the trouble maker. I see the fresh exposed metal of where the stick tore off the piece of the derailleur that connects with the drop out and keeps the chain at proper tension. I would say that the derailleur sacrificed itself to save the drop out. Aluminum stays and probably the dropout is made from Element 13 as well.
So what does this have to do with cheap bootleg red wine of the Italian Americans? I'm just mourning in my own way. Since I do not possess any Dago Red I purchased a bottle of proper Italian vino. La Fiera 2015 Montepulciano D'Abruzzo, a full bodied red wine.
I'm not really this upset about it or dramatic. I'm just pissed off. Now I need to shell out at least $40 for a new part when I need to be spending that money for other projects like a better set of studded tires for the red bike, a new crankset for the Soho, new bars for the Trek 660, a new touring bike for Mary, at least 3 sets of wheels, tires for the car, a new lawn mower, replacing all the food that spoiled when the freezer was unplugged last month, the Thanksgiving Day feast, a new gaming computer, more vinyl records, concert tickets, a room in Minneapolis when we see Peter Hook and the Light perform Substance, airline tickets when New Order make their Spring visit (I hope and pray) ect ect. Goddamn stick!!!
Brev Campagnolo!
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