Blog Author, David Santos, racing Red Trolley Criterium. Photo Credit: Danny Munson
Whenever the CashCall Cycling Team comes down to my hometown of San Diego, I’m excited. Usually when the team comes to town, it’s for one purpose……to race bikes. However, last Wednesday night was a different scenario. Brian, Michael, Justin, Cole, Devan, Paul, Fabrizio and myself rendezvous with Bob Vibers (the KHS Bikes rep for San Diego) at Hi-Tech Bikes for a “Meet and Greet” event. Upon arrival, we met the two brains behind the operation, Buzz and Andrew. As a first time visitor, I was remarkably impressed with the store and the level of professionalism displayed. There were over a dozen bike manufactures represented and a full range of accessories neatly presented throughout the store. They cater to road, mountain, and triathletes of all abilities, offering just about every piece of equipment you would ever need. As I continued to walk the floor, I noticed a professional fit station, where a fit was actually being performed, and an organized repair shop ready to tackle any maintenance nightmare imaginable. But to be honest, the most noteworthy item I saw was our KHS race bike!!!
As the night went on, I had to privilege to speak with several customers, fans, and friends who came by to meet the team. Buzz and Andrew stocked coolers with beverages (including beer – which of course goes hand in hand with bikes) and put out some food for all to enjoy. As I mingled amongst the crowd, there was an assortment of cycling war stories being shared, team members answering questions about training, and several tech savvy customers examining the inner workings of our race machine.
After a period of unstructured socializing, everyone sat down as the team spoke specifically about various topics. Paul (The team Director) introduced the program, its riders, and how it all began back in 2010. Next, Brian took center stage and provided a detailed overview about what makes our bikes so special. After that, the team took turns sharing races goals, experiences, and what preparations take place before towing to the line of a NRC/NCC race. Finally, the night concluded with a question and answer session.
Brian McCulloch talking about his KHS Team Flite Bicycle
For me, it was a very special event. Being the “local guy,” I had friends and family who came out to meet the team and check out Hi-Tec Bikes. It was a blast meeting fellow cyclist and catching up with friends I haven’t seen in a while. Overall, everyone I saw was smiling, enjoying their adult beverage, and truly having a great time talking about the one thing we all love……riding a bike!
See you on the roads!
-Dave
