A Montrose Minute

I almost forgot about this only-relevant-today blast from the past.

You all know Steve Lubanski. Right? His Open Road Bicycle Shop was a long time Pasadena institution before he decided to pick up and move to a higher-dena, as in Altadena. Anyway, months ago I was searching through the old training journals for some information when I found an entry from 30 November 1996 and, though I almost forgot and missed the opportunity, it relates to an incident on the Montrose Ride exactly twenty years ago. During the week leading up to the 30th I was tasked with moving from Pasadena to Alhambra, sleeping in the former while shifting stuff to the latter. Because of that, essential bike stuff was in two places which caused me to miss my traditional Trader Joe's meet-up. Instead I waited along the curb on Huntington for the bunch to arrive. Fortunately my resting spot was at a red light which, apparently, was exactly what the peloton was waiting for. When they came to a stop, the assembly immediately broke into song - a chorus of Happy Birthday Steve to be exact. All the drivers around looked at us like we were nuts too long on the tree and, of course, wished they were a part. I never did find out if that exact day was Steve's birthday, or if it was just in the general region, but the moment stuck with me - one of those incidental events in the local peloton.