Sunday, May 03, 2015

Proposed Bike Route: Pomona to Claremont to Pomona?

My bike lived safely and happily in Pomona for many years. My family used to tease me about my attachment to the bike, because it was screwed up mechanically and looked a bit worse for the wear. But I used the bike A LOT and to me it was the coolest, most retro looking bike I'd ever hope to own. I even used to keep the bike inside the house becuz I was certain it would be the first thing to catch someone'e eye should our garage ever be broken into (which has never happened, even here in big, bad Pomona!).

So imagine my surprise when my bike was stolen recently from the very public square at the Claremont Village Expansion. I just assumed it would be safe there, safer than my own house. I mean nothing bad ever happens in Claremont, does it? Least of all not to my beloved bike of all things?

As a Pomona resident, we are brainwashed to believe pesky urban crime only happens in our town, or at least on our part of Towne Avenue. So I had to laugh when the Claremont police detective told me that many bikes stolen in Claremont show up at pawn shops on Holt Street in Pomona. Ahh, the Pomona connection I have been trained to expect. Or perhaps it's just the cycle of life.

Here's hoping that whoever took my bike will route it back to Pomona, and to my waiting arms and heart. I would hate for my bike to simply die a slow death in Claremont or take on an underground, marginal existence in Hesperia. But, the reality of the situation is I'll probably never see my bike again, much less know what it's next route in life ended up being. Goodbye beautiful Pomona bike.

3 comments:

Judoka said...

I sincerely hope for a bike reunion in the future. Good luck. Pomona pawn shops would make for some interesting threads.

What were your observations about the Lincoln Park Starbucks outcome?

GofP said...

No bike reunion as of yet. But I'm still hopeful, plus going to the pawn shops will hopefully inspire a new blog posts. As for the Starbuck's at Alvarado and Garey, well we aren't allowed inside, which is pretty disappointing. It is outdoor ordering and seating only. So we still have a need for an indoor coffee house at that corner. Maybe the Old Firehouse?

Judoka said...

Starbucks has happily validated the retail business model of coffee service at that potentially charming intersection in Pomona. I'm sure they wish they had more room for a full service store there. I would go further to say that Starbucks at least inquired about purchasing/leasing the Firehouse Inn property as a full service site, too.

A contemporary retail service located within the Old Firehouse Inn location should now work. Parking is limited, however. The long absence of a viable retail business at the Firehouse Inn leads to the conclusion that the owner(s) absurdly over estimates the commercial value of the property. The neglected, underutilized state of the Firehouse Inn speaks more to their flawed thinking than it does about the richness of the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Pomona.

I am pulling for this intersection, too, and am thinking good thoughts about it. :)