One of my favoritest things about working in a bike shop is watching folks get stoked on riding bikes. It’s nice to see people who have been pedaling for years and years, but the new ones are the best. Watching them figure out their bike, how it works and finding enjoyment in roaming the world on two wheels brings joy to my cold, dark stone that resides where my heart should be.
This is a joy that has resounded throughout the centuries that I have spent toiling in the dark recesses of bike shops.
Lately, I have had the privilege to bring on some new faces and a couple of them are more or less green. They are stoked on riding, bikes, the “lifestyle” and now get to work in a shop. It’s done my stoke level a lot of good to have these new faces around. Especially considering that most service departments in bike shops are populated with old, bearded grumpy ass holes who can fix the shit out of your bike, but really don’t want to talk to you.
It’s nice to have a little green grass to water.
One of these folks is my nephew. And in all reality he has been cleaning our toilets for a while, but recently he has taken on some stoke. The shop gave him an abandoned old GT and he has begun the never ending process of upgrading, fixing and riding the thing. It’s been fun to ride with him and introduce him to trails, tools, bikes and other things that probably shouldn’t be on his radar.
But hey, he’s riding a bike and we all know that pedaling bikes makes the world a better place. Puppies bark in joy and cats die everywhere (Editor’s note: Cats are the only animal that I actually fear. They are the devil incarnate.) and people rejoice because the sky is blue.
The other person we need to welcome to the Alliance is Joey. He is the new Service Writer at the shop. In a very strange twist of things, he once lived with Gary Rock and also went to Sacramento with me when we were 14 where we played soccer in the California Cup and lost every game. The closest we came to winning was 5-0. Go Figure. And he met a majority of the crazies his first day on the job.
I must admit, he even has the pizza delivery lady calling me Grumpy and for some reason I am yet to find a nickname for him. All in good time, all in good time.
Anyways, there are two upcoming events that everyone should put on their calendars. First, we will be riding Suicidal Tendencies tomorrow morning at 7:30. Meet at the trail head. Second, as this weekend is the Desert Rampage, the Alliance Lounge will be open for after ride confessions. Come one, come all.
P. L. and R.