Carlton Comes Home

Somebody stole my bicycle last weekend. The bike was stolen from our office building third-floor lobby sometime between 7 pm Friday and Monday morning. Serg, the owner of Thali, a new Indian restaurant on West Street in the West Street Market, was approached by the thief to buy the bike. Serg figured it was stolen, and bought it for $10. He sent a picture of the bike to Noah Silverman, Executive Director of the Reno Bike Project. Noah is my friend. I have ridden with him, and he and his crew actually converted the bike from a 10-speed to a fixie. He immediately recognized it from the photo. Noah sent me a text me asking if my bike had been stolen. Of course, he knew it had, because this particular bike is unmistakable. Noah gave me Serg’s number, and I contacted him and picked up the bike. Serge took the $10, but would not accept any reward. I think Ann and I will head over to his restaurant for a nice Indian dinner. The only thing still missing is the lock. It’s an unusual U-bolt lock made by Abus. If you see the lock on a local bike, it’s probably mine. Give me a shout; I have the spare key. I know I’m very lucky. Serg said he’s had three bikes stolen, and I’ve got other friends who have had their bikes stolen. This bike is special to me, so I’m very thankful. When I was 12, I saved for two years to buy it. I finally did so in England when I was 14 on a family trip. My older brother was stationed in Germany. Mom packed up the family that summer and off we went, as it was a chance to visit him and to see a bit of the world. I was on a mission to spend my saved $125 and find a great road bike. We were in Stratford-upon-Avon, and I found my dream bike in a basement bike shop just two doors away from Shakespeare’s house. For the next month, the bike rode around in a box on the top of our Volvo station wagon. Back at home, I rode my first “Century” at age 15 and even road it down the California coast with panniers. These days I have a fine carbon fiber bike, and I keep “Carlton” at the office to ride for meetings in the downtown area. This story does not directly refer to the Community Foundation, but I did discover that many people have seen and appreciated seeing Carlton in the atrium rack outside our office. I was touched by the heartfelt, warm reception when it was found and returned. I’m not a big believer in Karma but, you never know. I have helped the Reno Bike Project and Noah and used their shop for bike repairs. Who knew that those friendships and community support would come back to me in such spectacular manner? I guess the moral of the story is, whether you’re looking for community connections, good karma, or a partner for a bike ride, the Community Foundation of Western Nevada is the place to call. Thank you, universe! And, Serg and Noah, thank you both. Chris Askin, President & CEO. 775-762-1932.