I'm writing from Minneapolis Minnesota where it's raining and a bicycle
race that was supposed to be happening right now may get
scuttled by the weather....
Earlier this week I found a Carrera 7 lying in an alley near
a church in the seven corners neighborhood near the University of
Minnesota...
As I picked it up, I found it to be surprisingly light despite its size, and
even though the seat was gone, the chain was hanging and
the rear wheel had sustained enough kicking to be slightly out of
shape with a few broken spokes and difficulty turning....I felt it was
special.
I orginally thought it was stolen and have tried using local bicycle
internet groups and bike shops to find the owner without results.
The license is from 1978...so the agency that does the licensing
no longer has records and neither the Minneapolis Police or
the University Police have any report of it being stolen.
Today someone suggested that it might have been
"dumpstered" which I found difficult to believe since it has
been cared for and has little rust. But anything is possible.
Not knowing anything about Carreras, I searched the net and
found they have a noble history as an Italian racing bicycle.
Even battered as it is, this Carrera 7 is vibrantly RED
and still full of speed and fire.
Although I could donate it to a program that gives bikes
to those in need, considering it's history and lineage,
I'd like it to go to someone who would
appreciate that and perhaps restore it.
Does anyone know someone in Minnesota who would
be interested in doing that?