This blessed season, I wish to…

1. Heartily congratulate Bicycle Pedestrian Commission Chair Zach Hilton, on his recent election to the Gilroy City Council!

2. Strongly encourage teen riders (especially girls) to join the South County Composite High School Mountain Bike Team! (www.southcountymtb.org)

3. Sincerely thank you, and share this Christmas poem with all:

T’was the night before Christmas, a time we all like,

Not a creature was stirring, not even my bike!

The tires were hung by the chimney with care,

With hopes that St. Nick, he would fill them with air! 

And I was all nestled, so snug in my bed,

While dreams of gifts “bicycle” danced in my head:

Clothing and helmets and brake pads and tubes,

Headlights, reflectors, degreasers, and lubes!

When out in the front yard, there rose such a clamor,

I wanted to jump on my road bike and hammer!

I sprang to the window (not waking my spouse)

And spied jolly Santa just leaving my house!

When what to my wondering eyes did I spy?

St. Nick, on his bicycle, up in the sky!

My yell pierced the darkness, “St. Nick, what the hey?

Where are your reindeer and where is your sleigh?”

“My sleigh?” answered Santa. “I left it home, son.

Bicycle riding is so much more fun!

I’m getting great exercise! Look, goodness sakes,

Just check out my belly; it no longer shakes!”

He popped a quick wheelie, hiked up his bike pants,

Then away he sped off, like my ex-hero Lance!

But I heard him exclaim then, in words that inspired:

“May you ne’er be too tired to do it “two-tired!”

And I close with a Spoking My Mind tradition…

I wish you a Happy Hanukkah, 

I wish you a Special Kwanzaa, 

I wish you a Merry Christmas, 

and a Happy New Gear!

Curt “Cycle Guy” Hentschke has pedaled more than 60,000 miles of South Valley and San Benito County trails. Send your cycle celebrations to [email protected].