AIGHT!
So, today...what an enormously odd day.
The bicycle in question, my DJ/urban bike, and my daily commuter/grocery getter, my Ellsworth Specialist I built up a month ago:
Today my boss had me drive him home so he could pick up his Jeep from the shop. I get back to work (I work in a deli/sandwich shop), and discover Caitlin (my girlfriend, whose last day was today...she got work study) had left to pickup her celebratory leaving lunch for everyone from the Atlantic Cafe. I grabbed my bike from the front of the deli and rode to meet her, as I hadn't told her what I want (we work in Downtown SLC, everything is relatively close). We get back, and I throw my bike into the alcove which is in my plain sight 90% of the time I'm working. I usually clamp down my Avid Mechanicals as a precautionary measure, but I was starving and completely blew it off when I put my bike back. We ate lunch at 3. At 4, I'm sweeping, I look outside, and my bike is gone. Caitlin's is still there.
Freak out. So I drive around downtown hunting for it, searching for a bum on a nice bicycle. After about half an hour, I suspend my search and hitup the pawn shop across the street to see if anyone came in with it. They said they didn't take bikes, and sent everyone with them to a place about a mile south. So I dropped by the bike shop a half block from the deli, as it had a slow leak in the front tire and a non-qr seatpost clamp (setup low DJ style). They hadn't seen it, but said they'd beat the **** out of anyone who came by with it. I returned to the deli, and myself and Caitlin went home. I printed off some "stolen bike" sheets in a matter of seconds, and hitup the local bike shops with them. No luck. Tried going to forementioned pawnshop to arrive 2 minutes after closing. So, I caved and headed to the SLCPD. Filed a report, and they said they'd let me know, and that I could "lay the grip down" on anyone I saw riding it.
Hence, I suggested we head over to the Gateway (Salt Lake's outdoor mall) and go ask the ghetto tube-changers at Dick's Sporting Goods if they'd seen it around, as the Gateway is next door to a few homeless shelters, as well as a popular bum hangout (Pioneer Park). We happened to find a parking space near Pioneer Park, so I suggested we hit it up first while it was still light (7 PM). We start canvassing the park, and upon first entrace see three police cars parked on the grass (they enjoy harassing the bums). As we near the end of our park-search, I notice a guy on a black bike near the basketball courts with disc brakes. "Odd...few people 'round these parts have bikes with disc brakes..." Upon closer inspection, I saw the TALAS and confirmed identification of the bike. Closer inspection also revealed the rider to be a huge black dude watching his friends play basketball. 19 year old Nate isn't going to lay the grip down on him. Sos, I had Caitlin watch him, and I went to snag an utterly convenient cop. Cops roll across the park in their cars towards courts...dude on bike acts completely non-chalant and doesn't seem to know what's going on. Cops accost him, I get the bike back. He spoke little English, and said he hadn't been the one that stole the bike. I kind of believe his story due to his behavior, but I could care less. The cops then asked me, after getting my info, what I "wanted to do at that point". Let him go...press no charges...I was happy to get my bike back. No need to send another person into "the system". Cue funny look from cop. Are people really that angry?
4 hour recovery time. I thought my bike was gone forever...I've learned my lock lesson. This has been one of the weirdest and up and down weeks of my entire life...
So, today...what an enormously odd day.
The bicycle in question, my DJ/urban bike, and my daily commuter/grocery getter, my Ellsworth Specialist I built up a month ago:
Today my boss had me drive him home so he could pick up his Jeep from the shop. I get back to work (I work in a deli/sandwich shop), and discover Caitlin (my girlfriend, whose last day was today...she got work study) had left to pickup her celebratory leaving lunch for everyone from the Atlantic Cafe. I grabbed my bike from the front of the deli and rode to meet her, as I hadn't told her what I want (we work in Downtown SLC, everything is relatively close). We get back, and I throw my bike into the alcove which is in my plain sight 90% of the time I'm working. I usually clamp down my Avid Mechanicals as a precautionary measure, but I was starving and completely blew it off when I put my bike back. We ate lunch at 3. At 4, I'm sweeping, I look outside, and my bike is gone. Caitlin's is still there.
Freak out. So I drive around downtown hunting for it, searching for a bum on a nice bicycle. After about half an hour, I suspend my search and hitup the pawn shop across the street to see if anyone came in with it. They said they didn't take bikes, and sent everyone with them to a place about a mile south. So I dropped by the bike shop a half block from the deli, as it had a slow leak in the front tire and a non-qr seatpost clamp (setup low DJ style). They hadn't seen it, but said they'd beat the **** out of anyone who came by with it. I returned to the deli, and myself and Caitlin went home. I printed off some "stolen bike" sheets in a matter of seconds, and hitup the local bike shops with them. No luck. Tried going to forementioned pawnshop to arrive 2 minutes after closing. So, I caved and headed to the SLCPD. Filed a report, and they said they'd let me know, and that I could "lay the grip down" on anyone I saw riding it.
Hence, I suggested we head over to the Gateway (Salt Lake's outdoor mall) and go ask the ghetto tube-changers at Dick's Sporting Goods if they'd seen it around, as the Gateway is next door to a few homeless shelters, as well as a popular bum hangout (Pioneer Park). We happened to find a parking space near Pioneer Park, so I suggested we hit it up first while it was still light (7 PM). We start canvassing the park, and upon first entrace see three police cars parked on the grass (they enjoy harassing the bums). As we near the end of our park-search, I notice a guy on a black bike near the basketball courts with disc brakes. "Odd...few people 'round these parts have bikes with disc brakes..." Upon closer inspection, I saw the TALAS and confirmed identification of the bike. Closer inspection also revealed the rider to be a huge black dude watching his friends play basketball. 19 year old Nate isn't going to lay the grip down on him. Sos, I had Caitlin watch him, and I went to snag an utterly convenient cop. Cops roll across the park in their cars towards courts...dude on bike acts completely non-chalant and doesn't seem to know what's going on. Cops accost him, I get the bike back. He spoke little English, and said he hadn't been the one that stole the bike. I kind of believe his story due to his behavior, but I could care less. The cops then asked me, after getting my info, what I "wanted to do at that point". Let him go...press no charges...I was happy to get my bike back. No need to send another person into "the system". Cue funny look from cop. Are people really that angry?
4 hour recovery time. I thought my bike was gone forever...I've learned my lock lesson. This has been one of the weirdest and up and down weeks of my entire life...
(But I think I know what ya mean.) I once knew the entire ER staff at my local hospital....that was bad....b-a-d...bad...too many broken bones for me...
