22:44:00

Although recovery may have seemed slow, the improvement, considering the extent of the damage, has been very encouraging. The fork is now 100 percent and frame is eighty percent cured. The team anticipates that they will be able to re-install Johns possessions to their rightful locations very soon.

We are confident that he will be up and around in time to be reunited with many of his companions later this month.
See you all at The Larz Anderson Show on August 20.

Continued Recovery and More Clues

During what was a very encouraging examination of the progress of his surface healing after only four treatment applications, another anatomical characteristic was noted as being significant information for our inquiry into the identity of the subject.
1. The Bottom Bracket Shell is offset from the centerline of the frame. The right side measures 44mm from center, while the left side is only 41mm. The overall width of the shell being 85mm, this is certainly too great a difference to be considered an oversight by his creator.

2. Also found during said examination were the faintly visable numbers 2-6-2 stamped into the right side of the seat pin lug.

More questions and still no answers.

While treatments are taking place, some of the few posessions the victim still had were being cleaned, restored, and readied to be reunited with their owner when he is well enough to accomodate them.

This humble writer cannot help but wonder at the tenacity with which our chief inspector has attacked this most mystifying problem. What unusual character makeup would drive one so?

Is he just curious? There must be more to it than that.

John Doe No. 438

The fork has been carefully de-grunged leaving the remains of Nickel plating and spot covering of what appears to be aluminum enamel which very often was a quick remedy to cover plated components that had lost their lustre over time.

John Doe No. 438

The Road to Recovery.
Step One.
Wash - Rinse - Repeat
All jewelry, personal effects and accessories have been sucessfully removed from subject.

Close inspection of the epidermus shows that not only has it suffered the ravages of time but it clearly suffered devastating injuries during whatever events transpired to bring about the ultimate demise of the subject.

Apply liberal coating with a shop rag. Allow to stand for 24 - 72 hours. Repeat.

Although the epidermus is nearly non-existant in most areas, there are a number of locations that have been protected by layers of dried lubricants. The first step toward reviving what is left of the skin is to allow to soak in the above mentioned potion. This will soften the unwanted substances allowing their removal with much less risk of damaging the underlying surface.

RIDING HIGH

Is there anything that has not already been done? Maybe we need to just do it anyway and not be concerned about being first.

ALL STEAMED UP

This past Friday evening found us excitedly entering a very impressive old factory building in Waltham, Massachusetts which is now the home of The Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation www.crmi.org. We were there to check out a Steampunk themed show in which two of our crew members had gotten involved. The Orienteer and Straat, aka Fendabenda, were quickly found flying in formation by means of that anti-gravity thing that they do. They were hovering in one of the three gallery areas accompanied by a six-pack of the most interesting and mysterious machines we have seen in quite some time. We had no idea that the usually reclusive twosome had made so many new friends from obviously good tribes. The atmosphere created by so many machines and their creators in such close proximity was so intoxicating we found our heads swooning.

We took our leave, shortly after the announcements, acknowledgments, and awards had been made, comfortable in the belief that our mates would be safe and happy during the six-month cruise they have embarked upon. They do really love having visitors and can be seen at the Museum from now until the end of May 2011. Check out the museum site for hours of operation.

NEW MEMBER JOINS TEAM

In 1898 the Columbia Bicycle Company was apparently living large on profits from tapping the bottomless reserves of pleasure seeking cyclists. Included in their line was offered a wheel known as The Model 49 Racer. This machine was light, fast, affordable and very fixed.
We are delighted to announce that one of these machines has come to reside at our headquarters and has already undergone the initial "What are you going to do with that?" intake process.
Below are some initial contact photographs in all of their usual crappy cell-phone splendor. We will be adding more as the additional preening progresses.