The frame was made around 1980 or 1981 by Tom Ritchey, as (as the story was told to me but not by Tom) partial loan payment. John Finley Scott helped Tom financially early on. Scott was killed long after that and a long time ago now, and another friend came into twenty of these bikes. They were bare-bones in the sense of being functional riders but lacking bottle braze ons and some other things that weren't entirely necessary back the, but I wanted now. I bought this one all rusty but "brand new" for $650 or so and put at least that much into it, with frame modifications and paint and all. It's 1981 mtn bike geometry and it wasn't a good purchase, but it was an emotional one with historical cache, and I just did it. Steve Rex did the frame work. The fork has no hole in it--I wish I'd noticed that and had him drill it for a rack, but whatever.
T. Gabner Rughut is an anagram for Greta Thunberg. I didn't HAVE Ritchey decals and I changed enough on it to kind of warrant something else, but I still feel kind of bad, because I know and like Tom and he DID make it. I have super mixed feelings about this bike--none bad, but, argh....I don't know.