Stuck in the middle again - Gary Smith / Independent Fabrications

Gary Smith, Independent Fabrication & BaileyWorks Inc.

Stuck in the Middle Again…

After missing Ballers 1.0, I made a huge effort to get to the 2012 weekend. Notwithstanding my participation being limited to a one-day engagement, bracketed by 12 hour drives, I had to be there.

A few hours into Saturday’s big ride, I began asking myself over and over, and over again, why? I’m not a builder per se, I’m a business person that happens to own custom frame and bag making companies. I’m not a “Baller” by any stretch, since I don’t regularly pin on race numbers, nor am I a gifted bike rider.

I had to be there for two reasons, one internal and one external.

Externally the camaraderie and friendship of the folks behind Ballers is in a word, baller. Josh and Doreen, Richard, Darren, and the other cabal members, along with Acorn Inn owners Marten and Kathy, are all folks that you simply make the effort to be around.

Internally, I’ve always been a big believer that to be successful in any business endeavor, one needs to be of the space, not just in it. The difference being that you must truly enjoy, and therefore actively participate in, whatever space your product or service occupies. Despite the previously mentioned lack of skills, I love riding my bikes and I thoroughly enjoy the challenge of putting one together that looks and works proper.

Call me shallow, but I simply would not buy an expensive product such as a custom bicycle from someone that does not actively ride. For me it’s a bit like buying bespoke clothing from a tailor that possesses no semblance of personal style. There is just no confidence that the product will reflect that certain special essence that differentiates it from something mass-produced.

As for the epic Ballers ride, all I can say is that I finished. I could not hang with the lead group, and I managed to barely stay ahead of the rolling wave of carnage unfolding behind, threatening to wash over me with each passing mile. I cramped, I ground my teeth, and I benefited from the kindness of strangers out on the road (thank you rider from Charlottesville that gave me the Sportlegs when my quads were in seizure mode up on the Parkway!).

So here I am, stuck in the middle… not a builder, nor a Baller, but there is always next year to look forward to, and, for those of you out there sitting on the fence, be of the space and show up.

Cheers,

Gary