Bike Winter

Saturday was the Bike Winter Swap Meet. I attended the event as the Working Bikes Co-op representative. The event was held @ Jaks Tap in the West Loop and it was absolutely FANTASTIC!

Jaks Tap is known for having an exceptional beer selection (I perused the menu and they do!) West Town Bikes was located kiddy corner to me and they really did a good job at getting the party started. (I think, technically we are competitors, but who really cares). As soon as I got there and had my stuff down I looked up and saw trays of bloody mary’s being brought over to them. The day continued on from there: pitchers of beer, plates with burgers and fries, chips, more bloodies, more beer.

I had a bloody mary around noon so I didn’t stand out as a sober sally. (Oh and a note here: I love my bloody to be as spicy as it can come. Right- who doesn’t? However, this bloody had a world of pepper seeds sitting at the bottom, which added to the spice factor definitely. It kind of sucked getting a choking feeling in the back of my throat each time I took a huge sip from my straw).

Milan- a 60 something retired IT man turned serial volunteer says the beer flights are fantastic and can make you forget you’re watching any football game no matter how well the Bear’s are doing.

Okay, so I was introduced to this event by a man named Howard Kaplan. He’s AMAZING!

He looks like a real life teddy bear and he sort of reminds me of Winnie the Poo with his soft voice and somewhat hunched shoulders. Howard is a real mover/shaker/ do gooder here in Chicago and I really owe him big thanks! Everyone I spoke with had wonderful things to say about him.

“Howard found the building we live in”

“Howard was able to get these $60  maps printed for us for FREE”

There goes Howard moving toward the mic to announce everything that’s going on here at the Bike Winter Swap Meet and to check on how everyone is doing and to do whatever else gets thrown at him.

He really worked it!

It sort of reminded me of the end of Ground Hog Day once Bill Murray figures it all out and saves everyone’s life. Ya- Howard is that guy.

And now his presence has greatly affected my own life.  Thanks to him- THANK YOU HOWARD! I am now a paid staff member of Working Bikes Co-op. (To man their events, of course). I couldn’t be happier about it-really!

Sharing a table with me was an awesome gal named Elizabeth- who started Rides of Silence here in Chicago. She also sells some pretty awesome calendars of pictures she took herself to help support the cause.

I was unable to use my “IF you are feeling CHARITABLE” sign and tip jar due to lack of space. So I loaned it to her, and it was quite profitable!

Bike Winter was a great event for me to get my feet wet and it was also great for Working Bikes. I took home two sheets of names of people who are interested in learning more and I sold some stuff.

Carla- this awesome girl who crashed my birthday party was in attendance and we had a chance to re-connect. It was great!

Oh! And right before I left I had the pleasure of loaning my jumper cables to West Town Bikes for their rent-a-van. So, I’d say our relationship is friendly.

Without further ado, here are some pictures of the great table scape I set up.

And one picture of the man boy I met.

Find Working Bikes Co-op where the sun shines

buy some

drink from

My table mate and I

Man Boy

I’m calling him the Man Boy because he looks like a cute boy- but I learned (upon investigation) that he is in fact very much a grown man (38- wow).

No boy about him— except for his looks. He bought me a beer and said that if I gave him my number he wouldn’t call more than twice before giving up if I decide not to respond. So I said OKAY and handed it over. Telemarketers are more persistent than that.