North American Handmade Bicycle Show? Yep.

After closing down on Saturday, a few of us jumped in the SBC team vehicle and set out to nerd out in Charlotte, NC.  We stayed busy along the way with gas station pizza, a debate over Fritos status as a vegetable or grain, and motion sickness from trying to read Bicycling magazine.  Our late-night arrival didn't stop us from experiencing the very best of the city including sanctioned handicapped parking, fresh pastas, gelato, a fine art cigarette machine, and drunken frowny faces on the green-clad masses.  We fell asleep watching a MotoGP special on an HD television.  I didn't get to go to the pool.

Sunday morning came and continental breakfasts were eaten. We walked to the convention center and rode an escalator to the main event. True to form, Matt talked to tube and jig manufacturers, Collin wandered to see whatever caught his eye, I worked systematically down each aisle in order, and Tim shook hands with new friends and hung out with old ones.

I saw fine garments and pretty, shiny bicycles from all over the world. There was a carbon unit turned chrome with layers of hand varnish, a tandem with removable stoker cockpit for use as a carbon road bike, a commuter with cut out headtube to display a mural on the steerer, Ti townies, full-suspension fat bikes, and wooden touring rigs.  A carbon/wooden balloon bike got stolen right out of a booth and was recovered later in the day.  The people who win awards did, some people who don't usually did, too.  A good time was had by all.  But mostly, Avery Co. Cycles had this sticker:

Check out all the pretty stuff at 2014.handmadebicycleshow.com.

-David