The 4th Plain Wrap Ride

For anyone unfamiliar, the annual Plain Wrap Ride is a local charity ride through the foothill communities. Participants  can choose to donate a part of their entry fee to one of five organizations: the Inland Empire Biking Alliance, the Kevin Unck Foundation, One More Move, Cycling Connection's Christmas Bikes for Kids, or Ride Yourself Fit. Following the ride, Coates throws a great post-ride get-together and party outside the shop with food, music, drink, dancing, cupcakes, beefcakes, crazy legs, and more.

with Greg (Cycling Connection) looking on, and Corey (Coates Cyclery) presenting the check, Liesel announces this year's recipient of the Kevin Unck Foundation award. Jenna was dutifully brought to tears in appreciation, and was immediately put under pressure when it was suggested we would soon be watching her in a future paracycling World Championship, or Olympic Games

I am going to go ahead and use that word, "community" here, because that is what rides like this are all about, fostering, helping, maybe even aiding and abetting; it was terrific to see so many of the local cycling groups represented, everything from social clubs to racing teams - Cycling Connection, Psycho-lists, Bobies, Impact Racing, the Claremont Senior Bicycle Group, Back Abbey, Coates Cycling, there were riders from Incycle, Empire Bikes, the Claremont Cycling Club, the Deadbeats, Spy-Giant, Ride Yourself Fit, SC Velo, and probably many others I have overlooked.

exhausting job being the stoker

never miss an opportunity to hear the Claremont Voodoo Society

A bunch of photos from the day are in this Flickr album. You can download any of those, or sit back and watch the slideshow here:

Created with flickr slideshow.

More impressions and photos to come...