A RAP for July: Hold Yer Horses

 It has been more than a few months since last I turned my wheels toward Pomona on the first Saturday of the month to join in the Ride Around

that city. When asked the night before if I was planning to do it this month, I thought I responded with a pretty convincing "nope." Funny then that between that night and this morning, the nope had become a "sure."

As you may know, each RAP is built around a theme, and this month's theme was horses - those things that predated the advent of the bicycle for transportation. Stops along the route included the old fire station from which horse-drawn wagons would emerge to race along the dusty streets to where ever a fire needed fighting, the city yard with its crumbling and brick wall-propped-up historic stables, a spot on the old Butterfield Stage route, and a visit to the Kellogg Arabian Horse facility at Cal Poly. At twenty-seven miles this was one of the longer RAP routes, though admittedly only the three of us who started from Claremont reached that total.

It was good to see familiar folks - Stephanie, Marcus, John, and to see that new folks are still getting word of the ride and showing up to start their Saturdays with a couple hours or so on two wheels. Make note of it now, the next Ride Around Pomona will be Saturday, 6 August, leaving 8:30 from the Shawn Diamond Plaza.

the gathering

on the road

regroup, and what's that on that water tower?

a horse, of course

too early for the Brew Works to be open

what's wrong with the photo? almost every one of those floppy bollards is broken - does not instill much confidence in the drivers at Cal Poly does it?

talkin' about the Kellogg's Arabian Horse Center

as the hedge sign says, Cal Poly

one flat today and this squishy rear tire

turns out what I thought was a typical mini hand pump turned into a mini floor pump