When The Ubaldmobile died (or I thought it did) a buddy of mine in Colorado sent me a free replacement. Kind of like unexpected warranty service.

The Schwinn High Plains Monster Cross. In it’s dormant state.

This frame.

What he sent was actually the frame, some cantilever brakes, old Campy Brake levers and some drop bars.

At the time I set it up with parts I had as a single-speed, mostly ’cause I was too lazy to want to take the time to set up derailleurs. Since then I’ve never run it geared. I did run it fixed for awhile (with riser bars) but for the most part it’s always been a SS, drop-barred ‘monster cross’ (for lack of a better term).

I commuted on it for along time with smaller tires, but now am running it with big 2.2′s. It’s a lot of fun. The drop bars are comfy for bombing casually around fire-roads and trails, but then the tires let you swoop into single track here and there. Very. Fun. And that’s what riding bikes is about, isn’t it?