What I'm Thankful For: My Favorite Shop

There's a nickname that I've gained after coming back to the bay after my adventure in Los Angeles: Hybrid Californian. I was jokingly called this after talking about the many places here I've haunted over the years: Sacramento, San Luis Obispo, the South Bay, the Westside, the Beach Cities, and now the Peninsula.  I find myself incredibly lucky to have lived (and biked!) in all of these places, and have visited shops in all of them.

No shop, however, can even come close to my favorite shop (and one of my favorite places, overall) than Hermosa's own Old Bike Shop, which has been in Hermosa since 1987, and was a two minute walk from me for almost two years.  It's run by one of the kindest, most beautiful souls I've ever met.   

Mohammad with one of his many lovely Colnago frames!

Mohammad is one of the main sources of my inspiration.  No matter what I'd bring to his shop, or what I was looking for, he and his staff (who are all amazing and wonderful people!) would go to great lengths to help me out.  From the Takhions, to the Nishiki Ultimate, to when I decided I wanted a Trek District Carbon - nothing was too crazy.  Not to mention, Mohammad was one of the first to test ride the Takhion when we put some wheels on it to test it out!  And that beautiful District Carbon that I ride more than any other bike?  Lovingly built at The Old Bike Shop. 

Every Saturday I'd be here.

Truth be told, I will be ordering from The Old Bike Shop until the end of time.  I even waited to buy tubes until I was down there this past weekend!  

Mmm, steel. 

So, in short, I'm thankful that I was able to find this shop during my California escapades, and that I was able to meet all of the wonderful people that work there.  Mo, Kyle, Alex - all of you guys - you rock.  Thanks for the great memories, all of the knowledge, and for never writing me off as crazy...even when I started on all of my bizarre projects.  

I love you guys!