Riding to NAHBS had a new meaning when I found out that MASHsf was hosting a fixed gear time trial race to NAHBS starting at Pitsburg/Bay Point Bart. Not wanting to carry a backpack the whole way there I decided to join in on the race figuring I can just tag along with the group to Sacramento. A meet a group of nice guys who just recently met up to race so I decide to offer my services to pull their team to NAHBS. Little did I know that 30 minutes into the race I get a flat. Thing is about alley cat races no one is there to provide car support. I pull off and try to desperately change the flat to stay in the race. After getting the flat fixed 15 minutes later I flat again. With no spare tubes I had to walk a mile to the nearest bike shop to get some tubes. I get to the shop and I find out that the shop isn't open for another 30 minutes. I finally got back on the road after losing an hour to catch up with the race. Lost, my only source of directions is the cue sheet I hastily printed out, only after riding a couple of hours do I realize that the cue sheet is printed backwards. Starting at my destination and ending at the Bart station. Not very helpful. But I continue to ride on with the only hints of me going the correct direction are lost water bottles on the side of the road. I finally catch up the one lone fixed rider that same guy I was suppose to support before I got my flat. My only break for that day is that this one lone rider used to live in Sacramento so he knew where he was going. So I do the right thing and I take the pull to Sacarmento. We get there late with only a hour for the show so we scramble to try to find someone to open up the sag van to get my stuff, while in the process of getting my bag I run into Marc, Mr.OwlBoogie himself with his handmade XO-1 hoodie. After a quick camera duel I finally get my stuff back and with no time to check out the show I huff it back to Davis to stay with my brother. Which turned out to be a good thing and bad thing. Good because I got a free place to stay with brother who knosw where to get a great hamburger. Bad because I got to deal with the college scene debacle, where his roommates decide to go bar hopping late into the night and provide a rude and aburpt awaking at 3 in the morning. I wake up early to get ready for the Mimosa Ride with Sheila Moon prior to going to show I'm surprised to see random people sleeping in his living room. I silently and quickly take my leave. At the ride I got to meet plenty of interesting people, I'm horrible with names but it was great riding with so many people from so many different places and backgrounds doing one common thing; out on a Sunday enjoying the weather and riding our bikes. Got to see a handlefull of Rivendells Mr.Harry Hugel Quickbeam was one of them. Harry introduced me to a nice lady who happened to be the wife of the Convention Organizer, Rich. Who both happen to organize the Tweed Rides in Sacramento. Even better got to meet Rich personally at the show! The show itself was bike geek heaven tons of shiny parts and interesting looking bike. Got to check out the Rickshaw booth who was testing out their new bag, got to see Mark Dwight(Owner of Rickshaw Bag Works) fresh with off his tour biking down the coast looking fancy in his MUSA pants. Riding and hanging around NAHBS was a memorable experience in itself but by far the best event was the ride back from Amtrak that Sunday. I got to meet a great couple Jim and Ginger who rode a Atlantis and Homer and we hit it off right away. Our connection with our bikes came secondary to just the experience we all shared and the roads we rode. It didn't matter how we got there both our of experiences were special and amazing. It's great how something as simple as a bike can provide experiences that can cultivate amazing stories.
Pictures Proved it Happen: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjz34X3M Manny " Who's hosting the ride to Denver next year?" Acosta -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
