Getting The Vibe at Mojo

This time of year, I can't help but think of the different places I've lived during Christmas time.

There's my hometown of Turner, ME. The mid-Atlantic town in Waynesboro, PA.
Presque Isle, ME...

I spent 2 years working for Mojo up in Aroostook County, and it changed hands twice during that time.

There were times when it seemed like everything was always up in the air when I worked there- it is a high end gear shop in an area where financially, things aren't always stellar- but there were a few things that always stayed the same.

The employees who believed in the place, and the customers who had faith in it.
Those people who "got it", as I liked to say, didn't think Mojo of as a store.
It was a platform for people to launch healthy lifestyles.
It was a meeting place for those like-minded individuals to grab a cup of coffee, socialize, and then head out for a bike, run, or ski. There was always an employee or regular customer there to get advice from on any sporting issue you could come up with.

The grumblers of Aroostook County didn't shop there or support the place. The grumblers didn't "get it".
They didn't take the time to go to any wax clinics, bike maintenance clinics, or running workshops.
They might come to our group rides to test if their phallic size had grown over the winter, only to find out that our group rides were only about social spinning(not hammerfest-ing), and that more than likely, there was still someone who could outride them there.
The grumblers didn't care about having fun, or buying into the idea of a social circle of fit people.

They didn't come to our Breast Cancer Awareness Ride, or any other ride for any other cause, for whatever reason.

They simply didn't want to take the time to realize that Mojo wasn't the usual bike shop. It wasn't a peckerhead shop where, within 5 minutes of entering, an employee asks what kind of bike you ride in an effort to size you up.
I keep saying was, because it WAS a year ago when I left. The same ideas apply now.

There are still grumblers, but more importantly, there are more people who are still buying into Mojo as an idea.
I cannot count how many people's lives have been changed by the shop, from simple weight loss to fitness goals achieved.
If you have reservations about the store, you don't Get It....but that's okay. You still can join the people who are considered less like customers, and more like family.

I'm not saying you should go in today and spend $1000 on gear. Indeed, on your first visit, you need not buy anything.

Go in, meet Mark, and ask what's coming up next on the ridiculously extensive calendar of Outdoor Events in Aroostook County. Say hi to his well-behaved kids, who are usually hanging out there. See when the next clinic or weekly ski is. Sit on the big comfy couch, and I guarantee within minutes someone will sit down and strike up a conversation by someone who Gets It.
That's just how it is there.

werewolfin'

There's a roof over my head, and the rooms inside are heated.
I could go to the next room and take a shower right now if I wanted to.

A fluffy couch. A dining room table.
A toilet that flushes.
The softness of the civilized world encroaches upon me always.

I must keep it at bay.

-----
Last night, I left work.
Saddling up on my old Trek, I set off on the last half of my 56 mile round trip commute.

It was cold, and my toes numbed within minutes.
My face froze.
I hadn't eaten much during the day, and I welcomed the wobble in my legs.

Tractor trailers blew by me, and I snuck dangerously close to the white line, catching free speed from their drafts.

Soon, the lights of the city were gone. My small headlight shone on the pavement ahead- just enough to see any cracks in the road that might cause significant damage.

Other than the hum of my own tires: silence.
The moon hung in a perfectly clear sky- a sure sign that the temperature was only going to get lower.

I was left with nothing but analysis:
Of how my feet were going to hurt when they finally thawed.
How the moon and I have had some pretty intimate nights together on rides and runs just like this.

How being out there in the cold and dark, hungry, is so not something humans seek out. As a race, it's just not something we do. Much better and safer to go home and turn on the TV. Comfort. Why?

For a while, I pretended I was something else, and acknowledged the moon with a low howl.