Memorial Day

The high plains are remarkably resilient. After several years of drought the lushness can return practically overnight. As I circled Hays this morning I was struck by the pure force of nature bestowed by the cool, wet spring spring. The same conditions that spawn the tornadoes and violent weather. I rode by RANS and looked up at the clean white letters on the face of the building. I made those letters myself on the router table. I wouldn't want to be there in a tornado. All that aluminum, steel, and nuts and bolts flying around.

I rode past the profusion of colors in the cemetery. Memorial Day. Beautiful in a sad way. All the while I'm thinking about my retroscope. I can't just look behind without looking ahead, though. Except I can't see as far in that direction. I feel like the time stretched millipede vision of myself that Kurt Vonnegut describes in Slaughter House Five. I'm definitely growing some new legs. There's a good story here, and I'm determined to tell it. Stay tuned.

Truly Humbled

Looking back on this week I'm a little embarrassed. I guess I started out fishing for sympathy, but I got so much more than that. In even a business network you never know how far you've flung the web until you bring it in. That may not be the best metaphor, but you know what I mean. When I felt hurt by a blindside firing you all rallied and told me not to worry because I was basically a good person and a job is nothing to worry about. The best and most appropriate advice I could have imagined. I hope I don't offend anyone by posting your responses here. I'm humbled. -Ronnie

Thanks for the note. Things will NEVER be the same without you.

I'll be 58 in a few weeks so I'm anxious to see what the near future holds for me.

If you relocate to the East we have some opportunituies at least temporarily.

Please let us know where you go , as we are customers for life.

God Bless

Larry Black

Ronnie,

I'm sorry to read your employment with RANS was abruptly terminated.
That sounds like a typical Randy move. I know others have suddenly
left RANS in the past. I hope you can find another job soon. I'm not
sure if you'd want to move to Florida but maybe you could follow John
and Mike's footsteps to Bacchetta. I always appreciated your great
customer service at RANS and don't know who I'll talk to there now.

Zach

Definitely sorry to hear this sad news. I wonder sometimes if nice people in this business do finish last. Good luck to you Ronnie, you'll certainly be missed by me.

Stillwater Recumbents
Attn: Dave Atwood
459 Poplar St.
Old Town, ME 04468-5910
207-827-6461
http://www.stillwaterrecumbents.com

Good luck with whatever path you follow from here Ronnie. It's been a pleasure working with you for the last 12 years. Let us know if you ever need anything.

-John
Pro Bike
Oklahoma City

Ronnie, that's tough! Good luck in whatever you do. You've been a pleasure to work with. If you land in a business that sells items that fit our business plan (being the best tandem and recumbent shop we can possibly be!), let us know.

Jack


Ronnie...so sorry to hear the news. I'm 56 myself and opened a shop because cycling and bikes are my passion and because I had not many options and no retirement plan.
So I hope things can work out for you....wish you were closer. I could use you at least part time.
All the best and thanks for taking good care of my business with Rans.
Doug Miller @bikeface

Hi Ronnie,

I'm sorry to hear that RANS let you go. It has been a pleasure working with you over the phone all these years. You were always a great customer service rep! Take care and best of luck in the future.

Best Regards,

Jessie M. Bostic

Hostel Shoppe
3201 John Joanis Dr.
Stevens Point, WI 54481
Phone: (800) 233-4340 or (715) 341-4340 Ext. 302
Fax: (715) 341-7414
mailto:jessie@hostelshoppe.com

Ronnie,

Our best wishes to you. We have always appreciated the friendly, professional service you have given our store.

Barb

HI Ronnie,

I don't know what in the world why Rans would let one of the good people go.. Damn I was just getting ready to call you about ordering some bikes and to chat.. I had 30+ years in the defense business and 11 with Northrop Grumman when they felt I wasn't in their future plans at an age of 52... I really miss the salary, but not the people there as it got really cut throat as everyone was jockying for a position..

I know it's tough, but I think God has a plan for you and hopefully you will come out on top of all this..

I will miss your friendly voice on the opposite side of the phone..

Please stay in touch,

Rick Steele

Gold Country Cyclery
3830 Dividend Dr. Suite B
Shingle Springs, CA 95682
Ph: (530) 676-3305
Fax: (530) 672-0501
Email : gctandems@sbcglobal.net
Website: http://www.tandems-recumbents.com

Ronnie,

I am sorry to learn of your situation. I hope you will keep in touch and if there is anything I can do to assist you in your job search, please let me know.

John Brunow
bikes@vienna, LLC
128A Church St, NW
Vienna, VA 22180
703-938-8900
www.bikesatvienna.com

We're fighting "oil addiction" with human powered transportation. Join the fight --- park your car and ride your bike,

Ronnie,

Randy should do something about that heartburn problem...

Maybe there is an opening with Bacchetta, they seem to take all the good ones from RANS.

You wouldn't want to work in rural NY would you? ;-)

Peter Stull
Bicycle Man LLC
Recumbents from 14 brands
Alfred Station NY 14803
open 10-6:00, Wed through Sat.
607-587-8835
www.bicycleman.com

let us not be weary in well doing:
for in due season we shall reap,
if we faint not. Galatians 6:9

Hi Ronnie,

Thanks for the update.

Really sorry to hear of the uncertain future, but I believe that your kind heart will find a secure and happy future outside of RANS.

We'll miss you.

Thanks for your efforts with us over the past few years.

I appreciate it.

Luke

--

Luke Breen

Calhoun Cycle > Recumbent & Folding Bicycles

3342 Hennepin Ave. S

Minneapolis, MN 55408

V: 612-827-8000

F: 612-825-4644

W: http://www.calhouncycle.com

Ronnie,

We are shocked and saddened by your news. When ever we spoke w/ Rans we found you to be the "go to guy" for necessary info. All we can say is if and with whom they choose as a replacement better have big feet as there are large shoes to be filled.

Ruth Kaser

R-D Bike Shop

Ronnie, sad to hear after all those years,,,,,,,,

As for what to do , can you bike mechanic and sell traditional bikes and Bacchetta?

Sara Kay at the Hub needs some help real bad right now. Maybe something to hold you over for awhile but then again you might draw more on unemployment.

If you want to talk you can give me a buzz at 727 385 7371

John

Hi Ronnie,
So sorry to hear this.
Best of luck to you.

Bob Bryant

Ronnie,

Man sorry to hear about your job loss. Enjoyed doing business with you over the years and hope you find something you love to make a living at. Maybe you'd like to run a small recumbent shop in Florida while the owner hits the road for 3 months. Trying to mix business with pleasure at this end.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

Give me a call if I can be of any help, and hey I wasn't kidding about running a shop in FL. for 3 months.

Comes with accommodations, but you'd have to cut the grass.

Regis,

Hampton's Edge Trailside Bikes

352-799-4979

Ronnie,

Thanks for the note.

I am sad to hear this news.

Your performance at Rans on Angletech's behalf over the last 18 months has improved dramatically, and I thought this to be a good thing.

Thanks for the support along the way, and I wish you the best.

Kelvin

ANGLETECH

Hi Ronnie,
I was saddened when I got your email. I can't imagine what you're going through.
You were a good man and I felt you gave me great service and attention whenever
I called. I just don't understand Randy's rational for doing things! Some of
his decisions these past years doesn't give us dealers much security or support
for his products. I truly wish you the best, and I hope your expertees will help
you find another job. Your knowlege of recumbents shouldn't go to waste, why
don't you contact Bacchetta, they would be extremely understanding of your
situation, and heck, Florida ain't that bad a place to spend your senior years!
Take Care, Laurence

Ronnie, you will be very much missed. I have enjoyed working with you for some years. You have always been a joy to call and talk to and you have always very carefully handled our requests. Thanks.

While you are unemployed, why not come to Signal Mtn for a little vacation. You can stay at our place and we will ride recumbent bikes and trikes and play golf, go hiking, or maybe something else that interests you.

Get back to me with your email/phone number. Would like to communicate with you and with you well. Will pray for you on a regular basis so keep me posted.

Your friend, Art Hagood

RR 2

We went to visit Randy in the hospital. I took him copies of Richard Bach's Jonathan Livingston Seagull and Steve Vai's Passion and Warfare. It seemed appropriate. One had to imagine it could have all ended right there in January of 1991. No more RANS.





The crash was documented. Ed Wilson was video taping the test flight. After the plane lost power it appeared to plummit almost vertically then disappeared behind the horizon. The harrowing image of that rapid decent would lead one to expect little chance of survival. A horrified Ed Wilson raced toward the estimated crash site. Others in the area had seen the small craft go down and were on the scene within minutes. Randy had pulled himself burned and badly brused from the wreckage, and was lieing on the pickup seat of first responders. When Ed arrived all he saw was an airplane consumed by flames and assumed that Randy was still inside. He immediately turned back bringing the worst possible news to Paula.





Ironically this nightmare scenario would return to haunt Ed in June of 1998. By that time Ed had returned to his former position at Leading Edge Airfoils of Colorado Springs when Bill Raisner Jr, the company's owner, was killed in an ultralight crash while filming a documentary in the Galapagos Islands. This time the horror was real. Bill's widow sold the company and it was moved to Wisconsin.

It can happen.

RANS Retroscopic Pt 1

I remember my excitement that September day in 1989, "Wow! I just got a job with RANS Aircraft Company!" Goodbye to fixing leaky sinks and broken doors at Days Inn. Randy seemed impressed that I was also fronting Legend, a classic rock band, since he was a guitar player too. A previous four year stint with Cessna Aircraft Co added to my credibility. This was going to be perfect!

I'd glimpsed the sail trikes careening along old 40. Then a fellow introduced me to his RANS Nimbus. "Whew!" What a strange bike. Now the fledgling company was making kit aircraft. I could easily imagine all this emerging from Wichita or Denver, but it was happening right here in Hays, KS. Now I had a chance to be part of it. Unbelievable!

I still smile when I think about the small facility in the converted storage shed. Homemade jigs and tooling. Hundreds of hand fabricated parts from shrieking chop saws and rickety drill presses. Randy's hand drawn blueprints and the ubiquitous reminder, "Verify before you multiply".

I soon became involved in bicycle production. We only had the Stratus and the Nimbus. There wasn't a huge demand at that point. We probably sold less than a dozen per month on average. It dovetailed nicely with aircraft work. I made seat, handlebar, idler and other small parts; John Schlitter did everything else including assembly.

As the company progressed into CNC machining and CAD design I moved into programming and production of those beautiful new CNC parts. At the same time I learned from my girlfriend that we were producing a child. Another beauty! RANS and I had new babies together. The S-11 Pursuit and my daughter Caitlyn. I was experiencing fatherhood for the first time at age 42. Randy was testing the "lifting body" concept he'd been imagining since high school. Life was good. Then Randy crashed and nearly burned with his new baby.

ronsolo

I admit I woke up depressed and a feeling a little vindictive. My email was probably too melodramatic. Especially to the very people who've shown me how to be more professional...it wouldn't make a very good resume. I certainly don't mean any disrespect to the people at RANS.



When Kelly Hill, who owns Springdale Bicycle, said what the rest of you echoed I realilzed that the recumbent bike industry is more tight knit than anyone could imagine, and there truly is a community of good hearted people who care about each other.

I wasn't the only casualty yesterday. Barry Miller, another long timer got the boot too, but our troubles are zip compared to the people of Greensburg, KS or New Orleans, or Iraq or a thousand other places. Still, it makes my chest swell to hear such kind words and emotional support from all of you.



Here's Kelly:


Shocked. I am shocked......who knows what makes some of these companies go round. Rip off the dang rear view mirror, don't be looking back. All you can do is look for the silver lining behind the cloud. You now have a new opportunity that you would of otherwise not of had to reorganize your life, do something different, maybe something new.

I have never met you personally but know full well from our years of doing business that you are a good person. You gotta hold your head really high because there are too few really good people about today. Expect, demand a lot from yourself because you deserve it.

If you are like most of us you would not want to move but..........Ronnie there is a lot of work in NW Arkansas. Great place to live also. Dam boom area. I always wanted em to find us, just not this many of em.

I know you will do just fine. Head up, chin & chest out, walk about 10' off the deck. Everything is ok. Kelly