I stopped into my lbs today to pick up the handmade Challenge tires I bought dbf as a bribe to get him to ride more with me this year. Jim wasn't there yet, and Jon didn't know where they were. I, of course, followed him around the shop while he looked through lots of boxes (this is my usual routine, and why I think of myself as the shop's rat). When we got to one of the rooms in back, I noticed something hanging in the dark I hadn't noticed before. It was an old "Swam Yankees" team jersey. I went nuts (which is kind of my usual state of being, but that's besides the point :p) and Jon said, "You like that? Take it. It's yours."
Now the very cool thing, that will probably get one or both of us in Trouble with a capital T, is that it's Everett's own jersey from way back. Everett is Stedman's owner. He's is in an assisted living center now. He's in his 80s. Until 2 years ago, he was riding on the bike path. After a pretty serious fall, he had to stop. Until a couple of months ago, when he didn't pass the eye test and lost his license, he came to work every day.
I came home, and googled "Stedman's Swamp Yankee" and found this great recent blog about my shop. http://ilbruce.blogspot.com/You can see Everett, and Jim (my main man), in some of the pics. You can see, the shop's "lived in". I'd have it no other way. It's a good place to feel the bike love.
Everett, if you want your jersey back, you'll have to race me for it ;) I'll be wearing it with pride until then.
