The weather was threatening, the lightning was flashing, but it was Thursday night and the following ABES would not be deterred: Dswat, Duke, Tom, Charles, Johnny, Lorne, Steve, Mark, and Curt T. The ride itself was awesome. Charles took the lead and pulled out with a zippy pace. Most of us followed along. Some opted for a more delicate pace. We mostly rode the perimeter of town, hit the hill a couple of times and made a very deluxe detour into the country where the sheet lightning was firing off in the distance. We made it to the clubhouse unscathed and it wasn’t long before we heard the rain, hail and thunder. No worries though, we were dry, had good company and were in the warm embrace of beer, pizza and chips.
I was test riding a new Norco CCX bike from the farm service. It’s a bit big but very tempting.
Questions were answered. Altona Bike Enthusiast Society. ABES. Paul DB K came to the headquarters early to drop off his alley cat spoke cards (napkins) and peddle home to the barn. Paul had just coached his high school boys soccer team to its first league victory. Tom booked the 17th for the September alley cat. It will be a 7:00 start and we’ll meet at his new pad. Race details are anticipated.
Good times. JS
They are reusable napkins though! They may have been useful had the rain fallen during the ride. Chased home as I was by the lightning, I admire your fortitude in riding later in the evening. All hail the ABES (uhhhh ...).
ReplyDeleteThough I have little right to comment on this final decision, being a DB, I'll waste what little right I have right now. ABES? Altona Bike Enthusiast Society? Bike? Is this a preemptive measure to allow for bikers? Motorbikers? Are some of you anticipating riding something other than a bicycle in your future as an ABE?
Wait a minute ... as an ... ABES? Is it possible be an ABE now? Must I be an ABES? It does not scan. My ABEness forever lost in the swirl of the plural. The BORG? Individual identity forsaken to the Society.
This gives me pause. As a bicyclist, as a poet, as an individual in search of a community that, while graciously accepting my DBishness, my faults, my absence, my presence, I must now allow it to swallow me whole in the maw of its ABESness.
Oh fellow cyclers do not misunderstand me. I long to be in. I long for membership in society, but I value ABEness. I value Altona. I value Bicycles. I value the society of my fellow Bicycle Enthusiasts. Bicycling friends, here I stand: Although I will continue to associate with, and welcome, the community that ABES offers, on the above grounds I protest the name of it.
I offer (peddle) this entreaty, as a fellow pedaler who will never (Lord willing, but he's let me down before) ride a bike to, from, or during an ABES event.
In closing, I wish to advise that the jerseys will look less cool with ABES on the front than they would with ABE, and I regret the uppercase "S" on the logo, and had already made a logo sans "S" (which I guess I'll just have to throw away).
With respect,
P'DB'K
Paul,
ReplyDeleteYou are a wordsmith. We need you at our rides and post-ride hydration meetings to clarify yourself (and ourselves). Your voice is huge and must be heard. Now shut up and ride.
JS