After flying into Houston and a quick visit with Mom, I hit the road in the rental car for Austin. There are some places along the way that really are in a vacuum. This building propelled me to stop off and pinch a…I mean snap a shot. Nothing like a good, reliable tobacco, right? And how bout this pair? Could you imagine more framebuilding experience in one photo? East Coast meets West Coast if there ever was… And here’s a guy that’s stepping out for the first time (I believe) at NAHBS. His name is Cory Rosene of Rosene Bicycles and I’d bet you’ll be seeing more of him in the future. His humble demeanor and soft voice may deceive you, because his bike(s) are screaming. If there was one bike that stood out for me in the whole 2011 show, it was this custom stainless 29er. Designed with flair and executed with the detail of an experienced builder, Cory ‘s work really caught my eye. I look forward to seeing more of this kind of work from Cory and congratulate him for keeping the bar high, and not just for new framebuilders. And the icon of titanium, Kent Eriksen.  Here I caught him in a pensive moment after winning “Best Tandem” at the event. I’m not sure if he’s contemplating how many awards he’s won, whether he’d rather be riding, or just contemplating the coldness of that beer 🙂 Another beautiful bike by the skilled hands of Dave Kirk of Kirk Frameworks.  This is another understated craftsman at the show. Kirk comes from a rich experience in framebuilding and this lugged road bike is a testament to Dave’s expertice. Simple, elegant, and steel. I don’t think I’m qualified to discuss this frame..just take a look for yourself… and I just found this post on FB…killer, a f’ing hell of a video: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yNIjqlw6fc[/youtube] Stay tuned for Part 3!