The 2016 PVBC Holiday Party: Ticket to Fun

I was walking home last night, and it was dark. I guess that goes without saying this time of year since typically it is rather dark at 6:30. Crossing the street after leaving the brewery and walking that concrete ribbon the city has felt compelled to put up signs about - uneven sidewalk, they warn. I know what you are thinking, what you think comes next, but no, I was clear headed. Even so I heard singing from a little way up the street, not someones loud radio, mind you, but a real live voice, higher pitched. A woman's voice. The singing stopped abruptly, and someone said "all women." Well, actually there was more said, but all I could make out at this distance was the "all women" part. Huh, what, I thought? Not hearing the rest of the conversation that was all I could think of to think. I didn't expect an answer, and didn't get one, but next the voice asked, "do you know me?"

Oh, right. Right, right - Granite Creek, of course. I could see the string lights from their outdoor Christmas festivities up ahead, back on the other side of the street. I thought the people over there were probably enjoying their evening, bundled up with blankets against the cold air, watching, participating in, a church nativity program. I wondered if they were enjoying their evening as much as I had enjoyed mine. I wondered if the two were comparable, or if it was even necessary to think such things.

You see I had just come from the Pomona Valley Bicycle Coalition's (PVBC) annual Holiday Party, the second, this year held at Claremont Craft Ales, which was opportune, since I could walk there.

If you missed it, well, tough, right. I mean you did have adequate warning. I guess it is kind of like how I get all lazy sometimes and miss out on a Dirty Chain Gang ride, see photos of the ride, kick myself and say "dang it." But if you missed out it was also unfortunate because a good time was had and well, you know, the more the merrier, especially during the Merry season. Apparently people from the other room had that same idea and would sneak in every once in a while to share from our snacks, laugh like they were part of the party, and then quietly leave again. 

The festivities were well underway by the time I arrived, having walked, but I was still early enough to benefit from one of those, prized, free pint tickets. There was a lot of bike talk - various rides, and routes, Claremont, LaVerne, Pomona but, eventually, even avid cyclists move on to other topics - topics such as Cokie Roberts, Star Wars names (I can't tell you mine, not because it is a Jedi secret or anything, just because I don't recall the formula for figuring it out), apple fritters, Christmas lights, donuts and Peru, though not both at the same time. At some point the talk stopped and there was just a lot of laughter - during the raffle, I believe. When I won the first prize of the night, I hoped it would be the beginning of a streak of good luck, but no, Marcus won the free pint grand prize.

The PVBC hosts various rides and social engagements periodically during the year, they advocate for local cyclists, participate in the annual Operation Firefly, teach cycling savy and safety to school children, and other stuff that you will know about once you take a couple minutes to join. Now that is a ticket to fun.