Dallas doesn't suck.

so if you need to find a party in a town you have never visited, don't know anyone, and didn't even know you were going, just look and see who's a Surly Dealer, walk in, and ask where the beer is.

 

Aaron looked up from his bag and said,"i got a bottle of tequila right here, and we're about to head to a bar.  come on."

never, ever, ever, question this type of statement.  you follow, and ask zero questions.  which is exactly what we did.

 

our blast through downtown rush hour Dallas was extra special as these dudes has started hours prior, and were already rip snortin' and ready to go.  everything happened so fast we can't even remember the first bar we entered, but it was classic belly up and order, with bartenders that knew who they were dealing with and responded accordingly.

 

a couple quick drinks to peel off the tension of sitting in a truck all morning, and it was off again to yet another beer swilling establish so we could make it back within the two hour parking limit.  (having your truck, with everything in it towed away at any point during this adventure would likely ruin most everything immediately).

our mad dash was interrupted by Wes picking up a nail, but luckily bicycle shops are plentiful within just a few feet of beer around these parts.  we didn't have the opportunity to hang out at the previous shop, but Switching Gears was exactly what i like.  reminded me a whole lot of my last endeavor.  they even carried many of the same brands and such.  the quick service, super cool people, and smiles made the shitty part of catching a flat comfortable and nice.  i'll give these kids my endorsement, as if that matters at all.

we stomped into Craft and Growlers realizing that if you wanna cheap beer, you are completely in the wrong place.  and by cheap i do not mean shitty.  $4 for a special looking glass of porter was just fine, as long as your in the mood to chill.  we weren't.  it was time to eat.

Our host, Aaron (who turns out it the me of Dallas) and i hauled back to pick up the truck, while Jessica and Wes were going to ride to Aaron's to meet up for grillin' chillin' and swillin'.  once Aaron and i got the most amazing mexican grocery i have ever been in through the entire course of my existence, i got a text from Jessica letting me know Wes was doing wonderful, and had only eatin' shit four times, and that they were a slight bit delayed.  you'll have to ask her for the details but after seeing him show up an hour and a half later, it was obvious these dudes knew how to party on a wednesday night.

as the evening carried on with more people showing up, dents beginning to show in the store of beers and tequila, some falling, tripping, flipping and dipping, while dogs ate everything that started to begin to fall from our numbed hands and blurred minds, we retired to a table of dominoes and low light to relax and taper down the festivities to a 1:00am slumber.

guess what?  we are everywhere.  we are people that don't give two shits about strava, lycra, how much your bike weighs or where you are from.  we care only that you ride bikes, drink beers, have fun, and wake up knowing that no matter how bad your brain is pulsing with the thump of a million mules kicking you in the skull, you have a home.  this is only day four, and it no doubt is going to get even better.