That's Okay, Old Dude: Christmas Bike Build 2.0

 Hey now, wait a minute. Didn't I just put a few of these bikes together last week with the Cycling Connection? Pink and blue Micargi Dragon's? Did you mess them up enough that we've got to rebuild them? They sure looked familiar, but no, these were part of a whole new batch of bikes for kids, bikes that were being put together by members of the Claremont Senior Bike Group, the Claremont Rotary Club, students from El Roble Middle School, Claremont High School and the Webb Schools. I have no idea who else might have been helping out, but clusters of people tightening this, straightening that, sharing tools, offering tips and advice, filled a meeting hall and outside courtyard at the Claremont Presbyterian Church this Saturday morning. I have helped out with the CSBG Christmas bike build in the past, and while that was cool, the sight of so many residents of little Claremont coming together to help make some kids' Christmas holiday a little brighter was a whole other level of cool.

Anyway, there were still a few disassembled bikes lying in parts heaps in the middle of the meeting room when I arrived but better yet, it was suggested, "if you could go out to the courtyard and help one of the student groups, that would be even better". It was kind of chilly out there in the shade, I thought, and the coffee and donuts were inside but... well, okay. The mrs. and I were introduced to a trio of students working on a familiar pink bike, but they had no tools and so were not making much headway. I cracked open the tool box and we got to work, finishing up that bike in no time. At some point during the process it was pointed out that I knew one of our young build partners. Hmm, I shook my head and probably looked confused because, honestly, I had no idea. "That's okay, old dude," she said - not really, but something like that only a little more courteous so I didn't have to feel so bad. Small world moment, it turns out she is the sister of one of my son's old grade school friends; that's a relief, since it means I haven't seen her in a good twelve or thirteen years. I can't be faulted after that much time, can I?

Anyway, forgoing a ride when on the verge of a potential three day's of rain is not something I would willingly choose to do. In fact I figure I would need a pretty good reason to do so - I'd say this qualifies.