Down by the station...

Like most little boys, my son, when he was younger, was totally into trains; Thomas, Lionel, all that stuff. He couldn't get enough. There is a song with lyrics that go like this:

Down by the station
Early in the morning
See the little pufferbellies
All in a row

At the Claremont depot on most mornings it is not the little pufferbellies you will see all lined up, it is the bikes locked up to the rack. Get there early if you want a space at these new racks installed last year. Of course, if you can't find space there are still the old fashioned racks, or the BikeStation.

Bike to Work Day in Claremont...

Went a little out of my way on the ol' ride in to work this morning in order to stop by Claremont's historic depot where the Bike to Work Day pit stop was located. Organized and funded by the City and Metro; the Claremont Senior Bicycle Group (very active club, I see them riding around all the time) were actively hosting, greeting everyone who pulled up. Morning commuters could partake of the usual breakfast treats, coffee, or pick up some packages of Gu and Mojo Bars. Metro was there, and at their tent you could pick up the Metro county bike map, or handy pocket guide. Little patch kits were also available.

I ended up hanging out for about a half hour, much longer than I had planned. Some familiar faces rolled in, or were already there, but I also met some new folks. Usual talk about bikes, routes, commuting, infrastructure plans, etc. Glad I made the morning detour. Eventually all good things must end, and I could hear work calling me from the office, and I had to say goodbye. As I rode away I glanced along the side streets and noticed more people riding in to take my place. I expect the rest of the morning continued along those same lines, with riders coming and going, grabbing a quick coffee or bite to eat, chatting a bit, and then continuing their own commutes.