Alfred Duane Tietjen

Restoration Alfred Duane Tietjen

RESTORATION of... an old bicycle... and more, is a mid-life crisis adventure. The author stays one step ahead of catastrophic mudslides (actual and metaphorical), and finds a lasting bond with his son and forebears while he searches for parts long separated from an early bicycle relic. RESTORATION is a voyage of personal discovery that begins with the saved provenance of one of the earliest changeable-gear bicycles made in America. "Family fortune lost" is the surviving remnant of oral history from a "hope to be forgotten" chapter in his grandfather's life. Sparked by the ephemera and the bicycle remains, a nationwide search for parts is undertaken to fulfill the dream of another ride on the Hill-Climber. This is an intriguing story that connects a path of failure and loss to success and recovery through several generations of the author's family as he finds parallels between a century-old business failure and his own deteriorating health. While he tries to recover mentally and physically, he finds strength remembering his parent's and his grandfather's life experiences. The trail of the inventor and business partners is picked up, along with old parts, period photographs and long-forgotten documents. As the author digs, the bicycle's place in history and deeper meanings in his own life surface. "Guy Lit" in the vein of Norman MaClean (A River Runs Through It) and Michael Perry (Truck: A Love Story). Written with plenty of personality, insight and humility.