Latest / Corpus Christi Originals Podcast / #37 | HYPEBYKE

Transcript

#37 | HYPEBYKE · Corpus Christi Originals Podcast

0:00
SPEAKER_01: What's going on y'all?
0:00
SPEAKER_01: Episode 37 of the Corps Christie Originals podcast features Hype Bike.
0:05
SPEAKER_01: Melanie, the owner over there at uh 311 People Street is the owner of Hype Bike.
0:10
SPEAKER_01: She shares a little bit about cyclist uh information, uh advocacy advocacy for cyclists, and a little bit of her story uh as far as her business goes and things of that nature.
0:20
SPEAKER_01: It's a good episode.
0:21
SPEAKER_01: I really enjoyed it.
0:22
SPEAKER_01: So uh without further ado, here it is.
0:25
SPEAKER_01: Welcome to the show, Melanie.
0:26
SPEAKER_01: Thank you, thank you.
0:28
SPEAKER_01: Glad you're here, glad you're here.
0:30
SPEAKER_00: You're gonna have to correct me.
0:31
SPEAKER_00: Is it Jesus or is it Jesse?
0:33
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, Jesse, or like all my life till middle school, till I found out my name was Jesus and I in middle school.
0:41
SPEAKER_00: Okay, so you prefer Jesse.
0:43
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, well, I like Jesus.
0:45
SPEAKER_01: I I might I'm at a time in my life where I'm like, I'm not sure.
0:48
SPEAKER_01: Just call me by the name me.
0:50
SPEAKER_01: Just don't call me a bad word, right?
0:52
SPEAKER_00: Like, yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:54
SPEAKER_00: All right.
0:55
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
0:55
SPEAKER_03: Oh, cool.
0:56
SPEAKER_00: Well, first of all, thank you, Jesus, for for inviting me and inviting Hype Bike to your show.
1:02
SPEAKER_00: And I uh I'm very appreciative of this of this opportunity.
1:06
SPEAKER_00: Um so like a little bit about how Hypebike came to be, right?
1:12
SPEAKER_00: Um so like back in 2017 or so, um I I hooked up with a cycling crew uh called the Rebels.
1:22
SPEAKER_00: And uh they uh I was I was actually on my way to uh Snappy's over on uh Woolridge and Rodfield to go buy a lottery ticket, right?
1:34
SPEAKER_00: Because we you gotta play to win, right?
1:37
SPEAKER_00: So I hopped on my bike and I went over there and I saw this like group of cyclists like just congregating there, and I was like, Hey, when do we ride?
1:46
SPEAKER_00: And I was mostly joking, right?
1:48
SPEAKER_00: I was like mostly like, I'm not gonna do this, right?
1:52
SPEAKER_00: And I'm on a mountain bike, right?
1:53
SPEAKER_00: Well, they say uh my my good friend uh Vicky, who wasn't my friend at the time, uh but because I didn't know her, but um she she goes, We're gonna ride in like 10 minutes, so go get your helmet.
2:05
SPEAKER_00: She goes, I know you live close by, so like go home and go get it.
2:10
SPEAKER_00: And I was like, all right, cool, right?
2:11
SPEAKER_00: So I hauled ass home and um got back to the to where they were meeting.
2:16
SPEAKER_00: And 22 miles later, uh, I'm in love.
2:21
SPEAKER_00: I'm in love with bike riding.
2:23
SPEAKER_00: I love what it did, I love how I felt, and it came at like the perfect time because I was going through some stuff and um it helped me really get out of that funk.
2:37
SPEAKER_00: It really helped me clear my mind, it helped me get back level-headed, and it it just released that serotonin that we need sometimes to be able to function and to be a pleasant person uh to be around, you know, because sometimes if we're not getting what we need, our body tries to tell us, you know, our body tries to tell us, hey, get some more water, get some more nutrients, hey, get some exercise.
3:01
SPEAKER_00: Uh and bike riding was the only thing that really uh did that for me.
3:07
SPEAKER_00: Because I don't know about you, but like I'm not a runner.
3:11
SPEAKER_00: Like running is just not my forte, like at all.
3:17
SPEAKER_00: Um, I got short legs, it's it's not a pretty sight, you know.
3:22
SPEAKER_00: So uh screw running.
3:24
SPEAKER_00: Sorry, runners.
3:25
SPEAKER_00: I know running is probably your uh outlet, and we all need an outlet, but me and running just we just don't mix.
3:33
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
3:34
SPEAKER_00: That's how I started falling in love with uh bike riding.
3:38
SPEAKER_01: Okay, so it's very recent, would you say?
3:41
SPEAKER_00: 2017, yeah, pretty recent.
3:43
SPEAKER_01: Come on, yeah, that's awesome.
3:44
SPEAKER_01: So so so you had that experience, you cycled for how long until you started your the your business you have now.
3:53
SPEAKER_00: So what what the reason I opened Hype Bike was to bring that happiness, to bring that level-headedness, to bring the peace within yourself and to give people an outlet, right?
4:09
SPEAKER_00: I I saw what it did for me and I felt what it did for me that I wanted to bring this happiness and this this peace within to the community, uh, to other people.
4:22
SPEAKER_00: Hey, if you're looking, if you're going through some stuff and you need an outlet, hey, try cycling, try getting on a bike, try riding it out because it's just you, the bike, and the road.
4:32
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
4:33
SPEAKER_00: And just try to get out of, I mean, I can't stress it enough, just try to get out of that funk as hard as you can.
4:40
SPEAKER_00: Um, and but find an outlet, you know, whether it's art, whether it's music, whether it's walking or running, whether it's money.
4:49
SPEAKER_00: But if you're in it for cycling, if you want to try cycling to to bring yourself back to that, that happiness, that peacefulness, that level-headedness, that equal, that equalizing um feeling, you know, I'm here for you.
5:04
SPEAKER_01: That's cool.
5:06
SPEAKER_00: To help you, help you begin that journey.
5:08
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's awesome.
5:09
SPEAKER_01: That's a cool, that's a cool, uh, like you got a big heart.
5:12
SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.
5:13
SPEAKER_01: Thanks.
5:14
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, no, definitely.
5:15
SPEAKER_01: You're thinking about you're thinking about people, you're thinking about yourself, thinking about people, which is good.
5:20
SPEAKER_01: I think that's a good place to start with business, you know what I mean?
5:23
SPEAKER_00: Right, it is about the people, it is about uh, it's not about like money or or fame, it's it's about community, um, and being part of it.
5:35
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
5:36
SPEAKER_01: I I when I think of your whenever when we're talking now, I live here near downtown.
5:41
SPEAKER_01: So I uh when that that people first started riding with their you know, the glow rides or whatever that is, I'm not sure if you're associated with that.
5:48
SPEAKER_01: I would see more and more people just accumulate and accumulate.
5:51
SPEAKER_01: Oh, it's growing, yes, and that to me that shows there's people uh we want like we need community, you know what I mean?
6:01
SPEAKER_01: And the biking community in this city is uh it's growing, like you say.
6:05
SPEAKER_01: It's awesome.
6:06
SPEAKER_01: And and go ahead.
6:09
SPEAKER_00: I'm sorry.
6:09
SPEAKER_00: No, you go ahead.
6:12
SPEAKER_00: Um, like something something we've noticed just being downtown is uh a lot of the unhoused um people, uh low budget, low-income uh type of people, um they visit us because a bicycle is their primary means of conveyance.
6:31
SPEAKER_00: So um, you know, we're helping those people too.
6:34
SPEAKER_00: So, like, yeah, we ride to get fitness in and to to be healthy, but some people do it because they have to.
6:42
SPEAKER_00: They're limited on um resources.
6:44
SPEAKER_00: It could be like they have seizures, maybe they're epileptic, maybe they're on certain medications that um that causes them to not be able to get a license.
6:53
SPEAKER_00: Um, so we're representing that community also.
6:56
SPEAKER_00: So, not just the the elitist, the elite cyclist, we're also representing or we're growing the community and noticing the community that that's less fortunate, and that's been that's been probably the most rewarding uh part of being in all this.
7:11
SPEAKER_01: That's interesting.
7:12
SPEAKER_01: So, and did um so this was how you found out about those type of people, right?
7:19
SPEAKER_00: Because a lot of them are downtown.
7:21
SPEAKER_01: Ah, okay, okay.
7:23
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, definitely.
7:24
SPEAKER_01: What's what's down there like Salvation Army is like they're downtown, yeah.
7:28
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, there's a lot of resources down here for them.
7:30
SPEAKER_00: There's Salvation Army, uh, there's the free store, there's um uh Mother Teresa's, I believe is one, um Broken Chains, I think is another.
7:41
SPEAKER_00: Um, there's a lot of resources uh for the unhoused down here.
7:47
SPEAKER_00: And um so and a lot of them actually uh kind of camp out or or they're they frequent the uh seawall.
7:55
SPEAKER_00: So um they come, I'm right up the black, I'm less than a mile from the seawall.
8:00
SPEAKER_00: They're like, hey, there's a bike shop right there.
8:02
SPEAKER_00: And uh we we try to help them out as much as we can.
8:05
SPEAKER_01: Interesting.
8:05
SPEAKER_01: And your business is right there in downtown, and it's kind of like that's their residential area.
8:11
SPEAKER_01: That's very interesting.
8:12
SPEAKER_01: Wow.
8:13
SPEAKER_01: So is that how is that how you because when when we spoke and message you were talking about uh mentioning mental health and stuff like that, is that how you got into uh like that aspect of bike riding?
8:26
SPEAKER_00: That was actually like by surprise, actually.
8:30
SPEAKER_00: Uh, because I really hadn't, I mean, I I know um a lot of the unhoused are veterans, and a lot of them go through PTSD, and a lot of them um have you know whatever disability uh that prevents them from getting a driver's license or maybe even um getting jobs, right?
8:53
SPEAKER_00: Um so whenever we first opened, you know, they started kind of like coming in, and I was like, How um how are you?
9:01
SPEAKER_00: And what can we do for you and how can we help you, right?
9:05
SPEAKER_00: And some of them are some of them choose, some of them choose to be in the situation they're in, and then some of them don't really have a choice.
9:13
SPEAKER_00: So um, and because some of them are also going through addiction or um recovery, right?
9:20
SPEAKER_00: Recovering from addiction.
9:22
SPEAKER_00: And um they they use bicycling or cycling as their outlet, right?
9:30
SPEAKER_00: As a recovery, as a means to recovery.
9:33
SPEAKER_00: And I think that's really important to to take note of.
9:36
SPEAKER_00: Um, because if you take that away from them, or or if they don't have a bike, or if their bike is uh malfunctioning in some way, that's that's their and I hate to say it like this, but that's their drug, you know, that's where they're putting their energy now into cycling, and it's helping them progress and it's helping them not fall off the wagon, and I think that's an amazing thing.
9:58
SPEAKER_01: Oh, yeah, definitely.
9:59
SPEAKER_01: Instead of turning to like drugs or something crazier, wow.
10:03
SPEAKER_01: Oh man, that's amazing.
10:04
SPEAKER_01: Do you feel do you feel like uh like the newer generation of kids are not learning to ride or maybe their parents aren't teaching them because they got screen time more, you know what I mean?
10:14
SPEAKER_01: Because I I think we're maybe in the same yeah, you're thinking something.
10:19
SPEAKER_01: Uh yeah, I think maybe we're maybe like in the same uh like age range, you know what I mean?
10:24
SPEAKER_01: We learn we learned how to ride a bike when we were younger, and I'm seeing younger kids on on the tablet and stuff.
10:29
SPEAKER_01: I'm wondering if they're learning to ride.
10:31
SPEAKER_01: What's what's your take on that?
10:33
SPEAKER_00: Um I think there is absolutely still a commu uh a child community of cyclists that are still learning to ride and and take riding um seriously.
10:49
SPEAKER_00: Uh yes, there there are they are exposed to more um digital means of entertainment, but I think as long as we continue to advocate and continue to uh show that there are others who enjoy it, I think it's all about leading by example.
11:09
SPEAKER_00: Um if if you take your child out and you ride with them and you show them how to do it, I think that that alone is going to influence that child to to ride and be confident in riding.
11:25
SPEAKER_00: And because of these social rides, it it helps with a lot of the barriers that children face.
11:31
SPEAKER_00: Like um maybe they're shy, right?
11:35
SPEAKER_00: And being part of a community helps them feel included.
11:39
SPEAKER_00: It's it's inclusive.
11:41
SPEAKER_00: So they don't feel left out uh because they're strange or or they have uh some issue that they, you know, whether they're going through depression, whether they're going through stress.
11:51
SPEAKER_00: Um all of us are, right?
11:53
SPEAKER_00: And I think having a community surrounding uh an exercise that alleviates the stress, I think uh more children, uh young, I would say more so like younger adults, young adults like teens.
12:07
SPEAKER_00: Um, I'd say uh that they are finding a place within the cycling community for them.
12:13
unknown: You saw, right?
12:14
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and and there may be some drop uh some uh how can I say like there may not be as many, but I'd like to think with what we do here and what other groups do as far as riding, I think it's helping grow it or you know, bring them back back when they're teens.
12:31
SPEAKER_01: Nice, yeah, that's awesome.
12:32
SPEAKER_01: Do you feel like uh how how what are your thoughts on uh I guess the safety the safety aspect of for riders in the city?
12:42
SPEAKER_01: You know what I mean?
12:43
SPEAKER_01: Is uh yeah, what do you what do you what do you think of that?
12:45
SPEAKER_01: Like is there because I noticed there's certain bike paths in certain areas, in some areas there's nothing for bikes, you know.
12:51
SPEAKER_01: They have to they have no choice but to be with the cars, you know what I mean?
12:55
SPEAKER_01: Uh what's your take on all that stuff?
12:57
SPEAKER_00: Oh, so I'm very passionate about this topic specifically.
13:02
SPEAKER_00: Um, so sorry, I gotta get serious.
13:05
SPEAKER_00: We gotta take our questions.
13:06
SPEAKER_02: That's all right, you gotta get the glass off.
13:08
SPEAKER_00: All right, so um I've teamed up, I've teamed up with an advocate advocacy group called iBike CC.
13:15
SPEAKER_00: Um, they're on Facebook, they're on Instagram.
13:17
SPEAKER_00: Hope you follow them.
13:18
SPEAKER_00: Uh, but iBike CC created a petition, and this petition is asking for protected bike lanes in Corpus Christi.
13:26
SPEAKER_00: Um, so just like I was talking about, there's a wide spectrum of cyclists.
13:31
SPEAKER_00: There's the elite cyclist who does it for fitness and health, and and then there's the um the opposite side where they do it because there's no other options, they do it because they can't get a license, they do it because they maybe they're uh being conscious about the earth, right?
13:48
SPEAKER_00: Maybe um a car isn't their preferred method because of the pollution aspect of things.
13:53
SPEAKER_00: So um having safer bike lanes in Corpus Christi is something I'm super duper passionate about um because it's not safe.
14:05
SPEAKER_00: Uh it's I've had friends get hit.
14:08
SPEAKER_00: I've I've coordinated with people who who've whose children have lost their lives because they got hit by a car while riding their bike.
14:16
SPEAKER_00: So currently our infrastructure is kind of minimal, and uh, it might be just because of the size of our city.
14:24
SPEAKER_00: Um, we're still a growing city, and maybe that's the reason why more um attention hasn't been put towards uh building out the infrastructure.
14:33
SPEAKER_00: But basically, right now, bike lanes are only protected by paint, paint on the road.
14:40
SPEAKER_00: I don't know about you, but a car weighs a little bit heavier than paint.
14:44
SPEAKER_00: Uh there's no really barrier, there's no protected uh there's no protected lane.
14:53
SPEAKER_00: Like ideally, and I think through uh text dot, I think the text dot criteria for a protected bike lane is to have like road where the cars are, and then median, where like a like there's a curb of some sort or maybe a grassy area, and then a bike lane, which is uh asphalt, not cement, not sidewalk, and then another curb, and then that's sidewalk for pedestrian traffic.
15:19
SPEAKER_00: Because right now, man, pedestrian traffic and bike traffic, and then even vehicle traffic and bike traffic are all mixed.
15:29
SPEAKER_00: There's some parts of the city that a bike can ride on the sidewalk, but it's we have less than like don't quote me, I believe it's like less than 10 miles of protected bike lane.
15:42
SPEAKER_00: Now there are trails, don't get me wrong.
15:44
SPEAKER_00: There are trails, but if you're someone who is trying to utilize a bicycle to commute maybe to and from work, there's not that safety aspect.
15:53
SPEAKER_00: Now, if you're doing it for health, hey, by all means, use the trails.
15:56
SPEAKER_00: There's uh Shannon Trail, there's Oso Trail, um, there's uh there's the seawall, which is always very popular.
16:06
SPEAKER_00: Um, so if you're just doing it for the health aspect of it, hey, utilize what we got, utilize our our trails, right?
16:12
SPEAKER_00: In Corpus Christi.
16:13
SPEAKER_00: But if you're commuting from like north to south or east to west, you're gonna have to kind of like wing it.
16:20
SPEAKER_00: Uh, you're gonna have to just be very careful because there's intermingled traffic between pedestrian and vehicle.
16:26
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
16:28
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and uh I guess uh those people that do have to commute, it seems they know they gotta know what the laws are, you know what I mean?
16:36
SPEAKER_01: There's hand signals and stuff like that, which a lot of us don't even uh I know a few like left and turn or whatever, but yeah, they we gotta learn that stuff, man.
16:46
SPEAKER_01: Wow, this is this is interesting stuff, man.
16:48
SPEAKER_01: This is stuff that that we don't we don't really consider this because we're not in their shoes.
16:54
SPEAKER_00: Right.
16:54
SPEAKER_00: And and one thing that kind of puzzles me, or that's puzzled me with the iBike CC uh advocacy that we do, um, is that people are so a lot of people a lot of vehicle drivers, and uh me too, right?
17:06
SPEAKER_00: Uh I mean, since our city is kind of minimal when it comes to the infrastructure and knowing, right?
17:11
SPEAKER_00: Just knowledge, um it surprises me that that more people don't endorse the need for protected bike lanes.
17:24
SPEAKER_00: Because one aspect of protected bike lanes is it gets people out of each other's way.
17:30
SPEAKER_00: And you would think that that's a good thing, right?
17:33
SPEAKER_00: Right.
17:34
SPEAKER_00: So there's an intersection.
17:36
SPEAKER_00: This is probably one of my favorite inner favorite intersections.
17:40
SPEAKER_00: Um, it's over on NS Jocelyn and SPID.
17:44
SPEAKER_00: And basically, from the university going towards SPID, there's a bike lane, it's protected by paint.
17:54
SPEAKER_00: And uh one thing that, and so that's why we usually ride in a group.
17:59
SPEAKER_00: It's very it's safer that way, right?
18:01
SPEAKER_00: So, anyway, um, there's a bike lane protected by paint, and we as a group go forward, go straight on Annis Jocelyn.
18:11
SPEAKER_00: So we're just kind of imagine, if you will, rolling down Annis Jocelyn, approaching SPID from the university, and we are going straight to stay on Annis Jocelyn.
18:20
SPEAKER_00: Okay, there's three lanes there.
18:22
SPEAKER_00: There's one that turns left, there's one that goes straight, and then once you go underneath the underpass, you can turn left or go straight.
18:29
SPEAKER_00: And then the far right is a right turn only.
18:32
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
18:32
SPEAKER_00: Oh, vision it with me.
18:34
SPEAKER_00: Any questions, anyone?
18:35
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
18:36
SPEAKER_04: Gotcha.
18:36
SPEAKER_00: So, in order for us to go forward to go straight, we have to maneuver as a group to that center lane.
18:44
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
18:45
SPEAKER_00: People behind us get really mad.
18:47
SPEAKER_00: You know, they get mad because you know, we're not going that fast, we're not cars, we're not hauling butt, you know.
18:53
SPEAKER_00: So they get a little agitated and they get a little um uh impatient.
18:59
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
19:00
SPEAKER_00: So um so at this intersection, people zoom past us or they cut us off, or they'll get in that far right lane, which is a right-on, remember, and they they haul butt to get in front of us, and it's dangerous.
19:16
SPEAKER_00: It's so dangerous.
19:17
SPEAKER_00: And um, and you know, people are stressed out, people are going through whatever they're going through.
19:23
SPEAKER_00: That's why I always say just be nice to someone, you never know what they're going through.
19:26
SPEAKER_00: But um, yeah, and so people get, you know, pretty irate when it comes to us sharing the road with them, with vehicles.
19:36
SPEAKER_00: And I say I guess, you know, drivers.
19:38
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
19:39
SPEAKER_00: Um, and uh, so it surprises me that more people don't advocate for a safer infrastructure because if we had a safer infrastructure, it would move us out of the way, it would move the cyclists out of the way, it would get them out of your way so that you can continue your day in, you know, without being stressed out that a whole bunch of cyclists are in front of you, uh slowing things down, you know.
20:02
SPEAKER_01: It almost seems like because they're they're the minority on the road uh on wheels, that they're that they really don't have a voice, so they're just like, eh, you know, I mean, whatever.
20:14
SPEAKER_01: They're just they're supposed to be on the sidewalk, is some of their thoughts anyway.
20:18
SPEAKER_01: Like, oh, they gotta be on the sidewalk, they're right, you know.
20:20
SPEAKER_01: But no, you guys are supposed to be on the road, right?
20:23
SPEAKER_01: According to law, right?
20:25
SPEAKER_00: Um, we we have um we are very privileged to be able to be on the road with them.
20:32
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
20:32
SPEAKER_01: Um I privilege, that's that's a good way to look at it.
20:36
SPEAKER_00: Uh we can take up a lane, uh, we can, we're just like a vehicle.
20:41
SPEAKER_00: Um, so and so that goes back on cyclists too, though.
20:44
SPEAKER_00: So if you're a cyclist who chooses to ride on the road, you need to obey the rules that a vehicle would.
20:53
SPEAKER_00: That means you have to stop at stop signs, you have to stop lights.
20:57
SPEAKER_00: Um, now if you choose to ride on the sidewalk, um it's it's kind of in the municipal code, you're not supposed to if you're impeding foot traffic.
21:09
SPEAKER_00: So let's imagine um the seawall here, right?
21:13
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, if you're hauling butt on your bike and uh there's a maybe there's a tour group walking on the seawall, a cop can pull you over and cite you for impeding foot traffic while on your bike on the sidewalk.
21:27
SPEAKER_01: Interesting.
21:28
SPEAKER_00: While riding your bike on the sidewalk.
21:29
SPEAKER_00: Another um another uh form of citation is if you don't have the proper lighting, if you don't have a headlight, if you don't have a rear reflector, if um what were some of the riding the wrong way.
21:42
SPEAKER_00: So a lot of people do that.
21:43
SPEAKER_00: A lot of cyclists ride the wrong way on the roadway, and the reason they do that is so they can see what's coming towards them.
21:51
SPEAKER_00: Um, because I mean if you're if you're on the road and you're riding with traffic, which is what you're supposed to do, um you can't really see if someone behind you.
22:00
SPEAKER_00: You like swerving or in the bike lane, or maybe hauling butt when they're not supposed to, like it's hard to see what's coming, and so that's why a lot of cyclists ride the wrong way on the roadway, yeah.
22:12
SPEAKER_00: Uh, so they can see what's approaching them.
22:14
SPEAKER_00: Um, I'm trying to think of what other uh citations.
22:17
SPEAKER_00: I just actually just posted something on uh I saw I saw that post.
22:21
SPEAKER_01: It was uh was it with ICC?
22:23
SPEAKER_01: Uh anyway, the one with the main citation, it was like 13 citations, and it was the most for not having a headlight on your bicycle.
22:31
SPEAKER_00: Is that what it was?
22:31
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think it yeah, no front light.
22:33
SPEAKER_00: That's what it was.
22:34
SPEAKER_01: No front light.
22:35
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and you still notice uh riding on sidewalk.
22:38
SPEAKER_00: That's one of them.
22:40
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and then so you put uh what did you what did you say?
22:43
SPEAKER_01: Is the city using this money for uh basically bike infrastructure, right, or something like that?
22:49
SPEAKER_00: Now I know it's only 35 citations in a year, but is that is the the fees associated with those, are the fees associated with those citations can they be put towards building a safer infrastructure for for everyone, not just cyclists, not just motorists, but is it is it being put towards building the infrastructure for us, you know, for future generations?
23:16
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, man, that's awesome.
23:17
SPEAKER_01: That's cool that you're you're you really care about all this stuff, and I think uh a lot of people should really consider uh uh a cyclist on the road.
23:26
SPEAKER_01: It's like it's like bicycle, like because I'm a truck driver and I know that there's motorcycles on the road.
23:31
SPEAKER_01: That's still a two-wheel uh vehicle, you know what I mean.
23:34
SPEAKER_01: And those dudes are going fast, you gotta be cautious of those guys.
23:38
SPEAKER_01: They're not they don't even have a seatbelt, you know what I mean?
23:40
SPEAKER_01: That's uh they can just fly off of their their vehicle and man.
23:46
SPEAKER_01: Wow.
23:47
SPEAKER_01: So you started so you started how long ago did you start your business?
23:51
SPEAKER_00: Uh we just completed a year in October.
23:54
SPEAKER_01: Wow.
23:54
SPEAKER_01: So what's that been like for you?
23:56
SPEAKER_01: Oh, roller coaster.
23:59
SPEAKER_00: Roller coaster, you know exactly what it's like.
24:02
SPEAKER_00: Um it's been uh a very big learning experience for me.
24:09
SPEAKER_00: Um but you know, I've I always say this because it's it's the truth.
24:15
SPEAKER_00: Um sometimes when when you try other things, when you try because you got to take risks, okay?
24:22
SPEAKER_00: First of all, you have to take risk.
24:24
SPEAKER_00: If if you want to be successful or if you want to um uh maybe get get out of a funk in some way, or maybe you're not you feel like you're going down the wrong path, um, you have to take a risk to dare to be different, right?
24:37
SPEAKER_00: And so um there were other things I tried, you know.
24:40
SPEAKER_00: I tried uh being a painter, I tried being creative, I tried making jewelry, I mean all kinds of things.
24:47
SPEAKER_00: I'm 40 years old, so I've been through kind of a plethora of things.
24:53
SPEAKER_00: So when I started bike riding, and when I say it changed my life, like I actually mean it changed my life.
25:02
SPEAKER_00: Like I went from from not feeling great to to feeling just amazing and being confident and being um I hate to say friendly, because maybe I wasn't so friendly before, but you know, it changed my attitude for the better.
25:20
SPEAKER_00: And sometimes when when you when you partake on a on a venture, um there's barriers, right?
25:29
SPEAKER_00: If if it's not for you, maybe there's huge barriers and you get discouraged.
25:34
SPEAKER_00: Um, but as weird as this sounds, and I don't know if you're spiritual or what have you, but when I decided to open up the bike shop, the barriers were removed.
25:49
SPEAKER_00: Everything just lined up, and it's so weird to say it out loud because it's it gives me like chills, you know, because things just fell into place so um I I can't, I don't even have a word for it, so magically, so uh spiritually that it it became it the path cleared, the the barriers just removed themselves.
26:17
SPEAKER_00: And I had so I I still have I have so much faith in the success of this um business, whether it's helping people or helping um me just sustain a lifestyle, right?
26:30
SPEAKER_00: Because business is business, right?
26:32
SPEAKER_00: You we're gonna have ups and downs.
26:33
SPEAKER_00: But um all the barriers were just removed and things just lined into place so perfectly, and um that's how I know that I'm where I'm supposed to be.
26:45
SPEAKER_00: That's all that's uh that's been the the business aspect of things, and I love it.
26:50
SPEAKER_00: I mean, there's so many things that uh that there is to love about bike riding and what it does for us, um, whether it's mental, whether it's um spiritual, whether it's uh building a community, um, making friends, what have you.
27:06
SPEAKER_00: It um it does so much.
27:08
SPEAKER_01: Oh, that's awesome.
27:10
SPEAKER_01: So when you say things fell into place, that's like uh like you had a plan for so is that like you had a plan for it to go a certain way and then not even that.
27:20
SPEAKER_00: Like how okay, okay.
27:23
SPEAKER_00: So I'm gonna I'm gonna name drop real quick.
27:26
SPEAKER_00: Um uh my husband has a a cousin and uh it's uh L Dusty, he does uh cumbia uh producing.
27:35
SPEAKER_00: Okay, so he knew the gentleman that owned that owns the building that we're currently in.
27:43
SPEAKER_00: And in conversation with that gentleman, he said, Man, I would really like a bike shop to be here in this spot downtown in my building.
27:52
SPEAKER_00: And so, you know, we we had already been looking for a spot.
27:56
SPEAKER_00: We knew we wanted to be downtown, and so we were kind of like looking at little spots here and there, and um so his cousin approached him and said, Hey dude, uh my good friend wants to open a bike shop, and I know y'all are looking to open a bike shop, so can it work?
28:14
SPEAKER_00: And so stuff like that, has to like weird, like weird stuff like that, just kind of like yeah, after you know, line after line, it just it just started building, and and you know it's for you when it almost like comes easy, it's almost like too easy, and you're you're like, wait a minute, am I is this the right way?
28:33
SPEAKER_00: Because you're like, well, it feels like it might be a little harder, or it should be a little harder, but um no, it was uh yeah, uh just like uh Martha Lynn says in the chat, she says it's all God, you know, yeah, you gotta you gotta open your heart, believe it, and just own it, right?
28:54
SPEAKER_01: And so wow, so you that's so awesome.
28:57
SPEAKER_01: Uh how the doors opened up, uh Dusty's all doing awesome things all out there, obviously.
29:03
SPEAKER_01: And then so you knew so you knew that you wanted to have the spot somewhere downtown because of the uh I guess because there's the traffic, or well, obviously, I mean what why is that?
29:15
SPEAKER_00: Oh, okay.
29:16
SPEAKER_00: So let's rewind a little bit further.
29:18
SPEAKER_00: Um my uh my husband, he wasn't my husband at the time, but we were uh we we came out here for a bike ride.
29:25
SPEAKER_00: We came to ride the seawall and um he got a flat.
29:30
SPEAKER_00: And we went to stripes and the little machinita, the little valve thing was broken.
29:38
SPEAKER_00: And then there's one of those fix stations on the seawall, but that was broken too.
29:42
SPEAKER_00: All the tools were missing from it.
29:44
SPEAKER_00: So we went to stripes, it was broken.
29:46
SPEAKER_00: We went to the other stripes, it was broken, and so we had to cancel our ride.
29:50
SPEAKER_00: We were like, okay, well, can't ride because there's nothing, and of course it was on a Sunday, you know, no, nothing.
29:57
SPEAKER_00: Well, I mean, maybe Walmart.
29:59
SPEAKER_00: We could, I guess we could have gone to Walmart, but then two hours later, would we have really felt like riding?
30:03
SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
30:04
SPEAKER_00: But there was there was nothing down here, there was nothing down here to get us rolling, and that was kind of like the seed, right?
30:13
SPEAKER_00: That said, hey, if if no one else is gonna look, if no one else is gonna do it, then maybe we should.
30:20
SPEAKER_00: And so um that's why it's one of the reasons why we opened down or we wanted to be downtown is because this is a this is a very active part of the city, and people, I mean, there was just a run club going on today.
30:35
SPEAKER_00: Like I guess it's every Wednesday they have a run club.
30:37
SPEAKER_00: So we got those guys running around, we got cyclists rolling around, and um, and so that's another reason why we're actually open on Sundays because that's really when people have time, you know, everyone's working during the week.
30:52
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
30:53
SPEAKER_01: When I and when I was at your shop uh not too long ago, there was like two people, three people that had already gone in there, like to get something fixed on their bike or something talking about their bike.
31:02
SPEAKER_01: I was like, Man, this place is busy.
31:05
SPEAKER_01: So that's man, that's cool.
31:06
SPEAKER_01: You like you you generate a need, whatever there's a need, you you provide for that need in that area.
31:12
SPEAKER_01: Like, would you say that?
31:13
SPEAKER_01: Would you say because you're um you're a business person, right?
31:16
SPEAKER_01: Like, you have you have don't you have a degree in business or something?
31:19
SPEAKER_00: Uh yeah, I have two degrees.
31:20
SPEAKER_00: I have a bachelor's in business and a master's in business.
31:24
SPEAKER_01: Oh man, double.
31:27
SPEAKER_01: Oh, come on.
31:29
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, we got a leading lady, you guys.
31:31
SPEAKER_01: You all know who the leading ladies are.
31:33
SPEAKER_01: Uh man, I wish Britney was still around so she can interview you, man.
31:36
SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.
31:37
SPEAKER_01: Um, but yeah, shout out to Britney and the leading ladies, man.
31:40
SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.
31:41
SPEAKER_01: So you got it in business, and uh you started your business there in the in the downtown area.
31:47
SPEAKER_01: So what's the what's uh is it what's what's in the future?
31:52
SPEAKER_01: Like uh what do you see ahead?
31:53
SPEAKER_01: Or do you have any plans ahead?
31:56
SPEAKER_00: Maintaining it.
31:58
SPEAKER_00: So we work so hard, right?
31:59
SPEAKER_00: We work so hard to build it, and sometimes as a uh thank you, Natlin.
32:05
SPEAKER_00: Uh sometimes as a creator and as as someone who has so much um uh motivation as I do.
32:13
SPEAKER_00: I I don't do things half halfway.
32:16
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, uh, but when you when you take on ventures or when you take on new um projects, sometimes you kind of lose sight of the project that got you there.
32:26
SPEAKER_00: So my my only plan right now is to maintain what I've got is to build or continue building it, right?
32:33
SPEAKER_00: Continue building the advocacy movement, continue building the communities that surrounds the the cycling, the bike scene, um, and see where it goes.
32:44
SPEAKER_00: Continue just growing, but not uh I don't see myself like opening up another shop or this one was I mean, I say things fall into place, but there was some hurdles.
32:56
SPEAKER_00: I mean, maybe I wouldn't say a hurdle, I'd say more like a speed bump.
33:01
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, no, no, no, I got you.
33:02
SPEAKER_01: That's interesting.
33:03
SPEAKER_01: It's interesting because some people are like, oh, I see myself here 10 years and this, but you're just like, no, I'm here first, and you maintain this first, and then we go next to the next step, right?
33:13
SPEAKER_00: Uh yeah, you gotta you gotta uh cherish what you have and um keep it, keep keep the momentum, but also um not lose focus of what got you here, you know, not lose sight of why you did this in the first place.
33:29
SPEAKER_01: No.
33:30
SPEAKER_01: So so why did you so if you remind me again, why why did you do this in the first place?
33:35
SPEAKER_00: Because I love cycling, I love what it does for me, I love how it makes me feel, and um I wanted to bring that to other people.
33:43
SPEAKER_01: Oh man, that's awesome.
33:45
SPEAKER_01: Wow.
33:46
SPEAKER_01: So uh so what kind of what kind of bike do you use?
33:48
SPEAKER_01: Are you rick?
33:49
SPEAKER_01: I mean, what kind of bike do you ride?
33:51
SPEAKER_01: Is it all of them?
33:52
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, okay, okay, I got you.
33:55
SPEAKER_02: So it don't matter.
33:56
unknown: Yeah.
33:57
SPEAKER_00: So uh, you know, people uh you know the the crew I ride with and uh which a shout out to the Sorrios in San Antonio.
34:05
SPEAKER_00: Um we are a Corpus Christi chapter, and uh uh you know, some people are like, oh man, I'm I'm four bikes deep or I'm nine bikes deep, you know, meaning they have you know their own little fleet, if you will.
34:19
SPEAKER_00: I'm a whole bike shop in, like someone stop me, please.
34:23
SPEAKER_00: Like someone like take away the debit card because so me, myself, I personally enjoy um I enjoy mountain biking, I enjoy um road cycling, uh and I enjoy just cruising on like a 29-inch BMX.
34:40
SPEAKER_00: Um those are my favorites.
34:42
SPEAKER_00: Um and um I'm not much of a 20-inch BMX because like I said a while ago, I'm 40 years old, and the way my knees are set up, oh wow, it's just not for me.
34:53
SPEAKER_00: Wow, that's just that's a lot of that's a lot of standing up.
34:56
SPEAKER_01: And okay, okay.
34:58
SPEAKER_01: So so you have like a like a fit where where you you tell you fit the person for their bike, right?
35:04
SPEAKER_01: Is that is that what you do at your shop?
35:07
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so there's actually a gentleman that comes in, uh, it's by appointment only.
35:13
SPEAKER_00: Um, he's a physical therapist, and his name is Owen.
35:16
SPEAKER_00: Shout out to Owen Boonal.
35:17
SPEAKER_00: Shout out.
35:18
SPEAKER_00: Um, he uh he comes in and he he's a doctor of physical therapy, like this dude is legit, legit, right?
35:25
SPEAKER_00: So uh he sets up in our office and he you bring your bike with you, he measures you, he measures your bike.
35:32
SPEAKER_00: Because there are only uh certain things that you can manipulate on a bicycle, and that's like the the headset, like how high and how low the handlebars sit, and then the actual handlebars themselves, you could bring them in, you could put them out, um, and then the seat, the seat goes up or down, forward and back, and it also like tilts.
35:51
SPEAKER_00: So there's so many things, only so many things that you can adjust on a bicycle um to make sure that you're not in pain, because riding a bike should not be painful.
36:03
SPEAKER_00: Right, right, right.
36:04
SPEAKER_00: It should feel good, it should feel real good.
36:07
SPEAKER_00: So uh if if you're in pain while riding your bike, uh please give us an opportunity to get you set on that.
36:15
SPEAKER_00: Uh, but yeah, so he comes in, you bring your bike, you bring your uh apparel that you use, uh, if you ride with like cleats, because some people um they what's called clip in, that means their shoe clips into the pedal, that way it gives them more momentum, more push when they're they can they can lift it up and push, push it down, right?
36:32
SPEAKER_00: Like if you lift it up until it doesn't uh come apart from your shoe.
36:36
SPEAKER_00: So um yeah, you come in it with your apparel just as if you were gonna go ride, and they uh they hook you up or Owen hooks you up on the machine, he measures everything, he gets you pedaling, and uh he starts measuring you, measuring your arms, measuring your legs, all of that.
36:53
SPEAKER_00: And uh it gets you gets you just like you know, whenever um ergonomics.
36:58
SPEAKER_00: So, like when you're sitting at a desk, you have to kind of have like a straight back and your arms have to be level, all that fun stuff.
37:05
SPEAKER_00: But just imagine that, but on a bike because there's there shouldn't be like stress points, like your shoulders shouldn't hurt, your elbows shouldn't hurt, wrists, nothing should hurt.
37:15
SPEAKER_00: Everything should be um aligned.
37:18
SPEAKER_01: So like posture is an important thing when it comes to cycling.
37:22
SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
37:23
SPEAKER_01: So that yeah, I guess I can imagine, especially if you're riding for long periods of time.
37:27
SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
37:28
SPEAKER_00: And so, yeah, the the customization there is more geared towards people who are doing like marathons or um like triathletes, um who are riding, you know, like 20 plus miles, you know, every every three days or what have you, like an avid, avid um cyclist.
37:49
SPEAKER_00: So yeah, it's it's important uh to make sure that you're all measured up and comfortable on your on your whip.
37:55
SPEAKER_02: Nice.
37:56
SPEAKER_02: So you guys call it a whip, that's cool.
37:59
SPEAKER_00: I'll call it a whip.
38:00
SPEAKER_00: Everyone laughs at me, but whatever.
38:02
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's a it's a whip, it's a whip.
38:06
SPEAKER_01: So you said 20 inch 20 inches, like well, okay, that's the big wheel, like like mountain bike size.
38:11
SPEAKER_01: Is that what you're saying?
38:13
SPEAKER_00: Oh 20 is like it'd be big.
38:15
SPEAKER_00: A little small, oh shoot.
38:17
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I would.
38:18
SPEAKER_00: I mean, I could grab one.
38:19
SPEAKER_01: You're standing all the time, that's what you were saying.
38:21
SPEAKER_00: Well, because like so a 20, a 20 is low, right?
38:24
SPEAKER_00: It's low to the ground, and um your seat is also low, and we're talking adults here, right?
38:29
SPEAKER_00: If you sit down, your knees are gonna be like up here.
38:33
SPEAKER_00: So you kind of you have to you have to stand up to push through um the the crank, right?
38:39
SPEAKER_00: To push through the cycling, yeah.
38:41
SPEAKER_00: And so on a 20-inch bike, I'm just no bueno.
38:45
SPEAKER_00: Those I'll leave that to the people who have the muscle structure, yeah, children and people who've done it a long time.
38:52
SPEAKER_01: You know, I just yeah, do you do you do the like those lead lights, the LED lights on the because I've seen those around town.
38:59
SPEAKER_01: Do you do you do that?
39:00
SPEAKER_00: Okay, well, we well, no.
39:01
SPEAKER_00: Um the gentleman has a shop down down the way there, he does them there.
39:06
SPEAKER_01: Nice, yeah.
39:07
SPEAKER_01: That's cool.
39:08
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's all movies, and we all roll together.
39:10
SPEAKER_00: It's it's a big community.
39:12
SPEAKER_01: That's cool.
39:12
SPEAKER_01: So, I mean, it I imagine there would be so is there any like uh you know what I mean, clashing between groups of riders, you know what I mean?
39:22
SPEAKER_00: Because you're well, there's different kind of like different categories of riders, right?
39:28
SPEAKER_00: So there's like the road crew, there's uh the BMX crew, um, there's probably even some kind of cruiser crew.
39:35
SPEAKER_00: Um, no, no, there's no clashing.
39:38
SPEAKER_00: Um we're all we all do it for the same reason to build the community and and uh be part of something you know bigger than ourselves.
39:45
SPEAKER_00: Clashing is for yeah down here.
39:48
SPEAKER_01: Collaborating is up here, time to worry about it, yeah, for sure.
39:51
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's awesome.
39:52
SPEAKER_01: So are you are you from Corpus uh originally?
39:54
SPEAKER_00: I am all 40 years.
39:59
SPEAKER_00: I went to Costalinda, uh Smith, and Haas and Ray.
40:06
SPEAKER_01: Okay, Ray, Texan.
40:08
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, go Texan.
40:09
SPEAKER_01: Go Texan, nice, and which H B do you shop at?
40:13
SPEAKER_00: Mine.
40:14
SPEAKER_01: Got yourself that's a good one.
40:20
SPEAKER_00: The right H E B they're all my H E B.
40:24
SPEAKER_00: They're all of them, right?
40:25
SPEAKER_02: Actually, it's whichever one I'm closest to.
40:28
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
40:29
SPEAKER_02: That's cool.
40:31
SPEAKER_00: But you know what?
40:31
SPEAKER_00: I will I will admit this.
40:33
SPEAKER_00: I avoid the plus one.
40:35
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, okay.
40:36
SPEAKER_02: It's too bad.
40:37
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's kind of daunting for me.
40:39
SPEAKER_02: Oh, crazy.
40:40
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, but you know, I love Sam's.
40:43
SPEAKER_02: Okay, okay.
40:44
SPEAKER_00: Oh no, something's different about Sam's and HP Plus.
40:48
SPEAKER_01: I don't know.
40:48
SPEAKER_01: It's just yeah, that's cool.
40:49
SPEAKER_01: Man, that's awesome.
40:50
SPEAKER_01: So, how how do you uh how do you find yourself like uh continuing your education and this in this business that you're in?
40:58
SPEAKER_00: Oh, every every day is some learning opportunity.
41:02
SPEAKER_00: Um, because it seems like the world is leaning more towards micromobility, um, kind of backtracking our our progression with like gasoline-powered um transportation.
41:15
SPEAKER_00: Uh, because I mean I guess it does some damage, maybe okay.
41:20
SPEAKER_00: I'm kind of like backtracking.
41:22
SPEAKER_00: So, like um backtracking, meaning people are converting from using vehicles to using bicycles um for whatever reason.
41:30
SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's the planet, maybe it's financial.
41:33
SPEAKER_00: Um, and with the way the economy is right now, like things are expensive, man.
41:39
SPEAKER_00: You know, and a lot of people are kind of saying, well, let me let me see where I can scale back a bit.
41:44
SPEAKER_00: Let me see where I can save money.
41:46
SPEAKER_00: Now, owning a bike, uh actually a lot, not a lot of people know this, but um when you utilize a bicycle for like uh primary conveyance, you actually have to register your bike with the city.
41:59
SPEAKER_00: Oh wow.
42:00
SPEAKER_00: Um, it's only like 50 cents though, or five bucks or something.
42:03
SPEAKER_00: That's funny super cheap.
42:06
SPEAKER_00: And uh I actually I I would I would consider registering my bike if that money went towards the infrastructure, hey, I'm all for that.
42:15
SPEAKER_00: Um you know, so I kind of see bike riding becoming or making its way back, or uh I don't want to say making its way back because like it's always been here, right?
42:28
SPEAKER_00: Bike bike riding is never went anywhere.
42:32
SPEAKER_00: Um, but I think a lot of people are choosing to bike ride over driving, or I think a lot, I think the the momentum is going that way, the trend is going that way.
42:43
SPEAKER_00: Um, only because of trying to save money, um, trying to lessen the impact, the the environmental footprint.
42:52
SPEAKER_00: Um, maybe it's uh just more conducive to their situation, you know.
42:59
SPEAKER_00: Maybe they live close to where they work.
43:01
SPEAKER_00: Um, but then a lot of people are um working from home now, too.
43:04
SPEAKER_00: So yeah, I don't know.
43:06
SPEAKER_00: I I think uh I think bike riding is is gonna continue the momentum and just grow from where it's at, um but in a in a positive way.
43:16
SPEAKER_00: Um I think micro mobility is the place.
43:20
SPEAKER_00: Um so micro mobility just meaning like um lessening your your environmental footprint, micro like bicycle riding, maybe even uh motorcycle moped riding, um things like that.
43:35
SPEAKER_00: I think uh they're they're gaining momentum and they're not going anywhere.
43:39
SPEAKER_00: And I think with with the way the city's growing, um, so just uh just a little tidbit of what we see here in the shop.
43:47
SPEAKER_00: Oh, so many people are touring here.
43:49
SPEAKER_00: Um like um, I don't mean touring, but like visiting Corpus Christi, right?
43:54
SPEAKER_00: So there's a whole bunch of of tourists that we get downtown, and some of these people are Are like visiting Corpus Christi to see if it could be a potential home for them.
44:05
SPEAKER_00: Maybe like retiring here, or maybe because maybe California, we've seen so many people from California just visit here, and they're like, Man, everything is so affordable here.
44:16
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it is.
44:18
SPEAKER_04: It is.
44:18
SPEAKER_00: You're going definitely half a million dollar home in California to like um, I don't know, just I'll throw out a number like 250,000.
44:28
SPEAKER_00: And 250,000 can get you a pretty decent home here, I think.
44:31
SPEAKER_00: I think my opinion.
44:32
SPEAKER_00: Um, and so a lot of people are coming here to live, and we're just gonna grow.
44:41
SPEAKER_00: We're just gonna keep corpus christy is just gonna keep growing, man.
44:44
SPEAKER_00: And I think we need to be prepared for that growth.
44:48
SPEAKER_00: Um, and they're gonna bring their ideas with them, they're gonna bring their advocacy with them, uh, they're gonna bring everything that can make corpus christi home to them here, right?
45:02
SPEAKER_00: And I think we need to be prepared for that.
45:05
SPEAKER_01: So why do you why do you want to why do why do you want to do that for your city?
45:10
SPEAKER_01: Like why why do you want that for your city?
45:13
SPEAKER_00: I see it as progression.
45:15
SPEAKER_00: I see it as um being able to adapt.
45:19
SPEAKER_00: If you don't adapt, you're left behind.
45:23
SPEAKER_00: That's just the the truth of the truth of the matter, is that if you can't, if you cannot adapt, then um you'll be you'll be kind of left behind and making the same mistakes um that we did in the past.
45:36
SPEAKER_00: And that's not what progression is about, that's not what success is about.
45:40
SPEAKER_00: Um, you need to adapt in order to uh survive.
45:44
SPEAKER_01: That's interesting.
45:46
SPEAKER_01: Wow.
45:46
SPEAKER_01: So so are you are you um are you like looking for success or like so?
45:56
SPEAKER_01: I guess that's your main thing is continuing to progress, and success is along the way of progression, would you say that?
46:05
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, absolutely.
46:06
SPEAKER_00: I mean, well, success is is kind of um objective, right?
46:11
SPEAKER_00: Um I see success as being happy with where you are, where you are in life.
46:18
SPEAKER_00: If you're happy, then you're successful.
46:21
SPEAKER_01: Nice, yeah.
46:22
SPEAKER_00: You know, and that's that's kind of um that's kind of where I'm at.
46:26
SPEAKER_00: And I've I've built this and I am happy doing what I'm doing.
46:31
SPEAKER_00: So in my my perception is yeah, I'm successful.
46:35
SPEAKER_01: Oh, that's awesome.
46:36
SPEAKER_01: That's good.
46:36
SPEAKER_01: Man, that's awesome.
46:37
SPEAKER_01: Is there anything else you'd like to share?
46:40
SPEAKER_00: Um, let's see.
46:42
SPEAKER_00: Look at my list because I got a list.
46:44
SPEAKER_01: You oh, nice.
46:47
SPEAKER_00: We talked about we talked about mental health.
46:49
SPEAKER_00: So I see uh Rain.
46:51
SPEAKER_00: Can I I can reply to these uh folks on the Q?
46:53
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, go ahead.
46:54
SPEAKER_01: Yes, uh yes, go ahead.
46:56
SPEAKER_01: I'm sorry, yeah, go ahead.
46:57
SPEAKER_00: All good, all good.
46:58
SPEAKER_00: So hi Raymond, uh Raymond Anina Blanco, hi.
47:02
SPEAKER_00: I see uh you said you're interested in bike riding.
47:05
SPEAKER_00: Um, we'll be happy to help you start your journey with bike riding.
47:09
SPEAKER_00: Um, we just need to know what type of bike riding you want to do, uh, like where, because it matters on like terrain.
47:16
SPEAKER_00: So remember, I said a while ago, I said I like road biking, I like mountain biking, I like BMXing or 29-inch BMX.
47:22
SPEAKER_00: And the reason I say it like that is because different bikes are used for different things.
47:27
SPEAKER_00: So you can't necessarily take like a cruiser, maybe like a low rider, I don't know if you want to be extreme.
47:34
SPEAKER_00: You want to take a lowrider bike, you can't take that to like a trail because that's very dangerous.
47:38
SPEAKER_00: It's not a bike for that.
47:40
SPEAKER_00: Um, so we need to know like what your intended use for it is.
47:46
SPEAKER_00: So if you're gonna be mountain biking, then you're probably gonna want something like that's full suspension, maybe something that's got front suspension suspension at minimum.
47:56
SPEAKER_00: Um, and obviously something with like a bigger tire, that way it grips the terrain better.
48:03
SPEAKER_00: Um, or if you want to do road cycling, road cycling totally different, right?
48:07
SPEAKER_00: You're gonna have a thinner tire, um, less resistance, right?
48:10
SPEAKER_00: So you're not gonna want to have all the knobby uh on that tire because that creates more resistance while when you're pushing through.
48:18
SPEAKER_00: Um, there are some bikes that are both, they're hybrid bikes.
48:21
SPEAKER_00: You can do uh road and gravel or uh road and like a rougher terrain, calicia maybe.
48:27
SPEAKER_00: Um, so there's bikes for that, and then there's bikes for just like cruising the seawall on the sidewalk, and even though it might be uh illegal, I don't know, but you know, there's bikes for pavement, you know?
48:40
SPEAKER_00: So those are kind of like your heavier cruiser bikes, and then um there's e-bikes.
48:45
SPEAKER_00: So if you want to uh have a little bit more um uh ganas more uh empuja to your to your bike riding, uh, then you know get an e-bike.
48:57
SPEAKER_00: Um it's there's no gas, they charge, you just recharge them, they go between 20, 25 miles per hour.
49:04
SPEAKER_00: Some of them, some of them even uh one single charge can take you up to like 60 miles, 60, 65 miles.
49:11
SPEAKER_04: Wow, okay.
49:12
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you can totally get around on one of those.
49:15
SPEAKER_00: So it just depends on what type of writing you're doing, Raymond and Nina.
49:19
SPEAKER_00: Um, but yeah, even then, uh, we're happy to help you out finding uh your next whip.
49:24
SPEAKER_01: Nice.
49:24
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and we have uh Mart Martha Lynn Ortiz, yeah, she says great customer service.
49:31
SPEAKER_00: Oh, thank you.
49:32
SPEAKER_01: We got uh Gracoon Trey Ben, what's up?
49:36
SPEAKER_00: That's Ben.
49:38
SPEAKER_00: So Ben, uh a little quick quick backstory.
49:41
SPEAKER_00: Um for our first year anniversary, we had a uh like a bike show, and we hooked up with uh the downtown management, uh downtown management district and weird corpus.
49:54
SPEAKER_00: Um, so we hooked up with them and they said, Hey, you're we're gonna have our first Friday or what's it called?
50:00
SPEAKER_00: Artwalk, right?
50:01
SPEAKER_00: Uh we're gonna have Art Walk, and um I was like, Well, can we coincide our uh anniversary with Art Walk?
50:09
SPEAKER_00: That way, you know, we get more foot traffic and things, um, things are a little bit more busy, right?
50:14
SPEAKER_00: So we actually had a bike show, dude.
50:17
SPEAKER_00: It was awesome.
50:18
SPEAKER_00: We had like BMX, we had like awesome vintage BMXs, and Ben here, uh Gura uh Gurakun Trey, um, he brought in this awesome, awesome BMX, like this vintage BMX.
50:32
SPEAKER_00: I think uh Ben, you even won um, I think you won Best uh what was it, Best BMX, I think.
50:37
SPEAKER_00: Correct me if I'm wrong, but yeah, and so we had awards and stuff, and um Ben brought in some really dope bikes.
50:44
SPEAKER_00: So uh yeah, so Ben's a Ben's a good guy.
50:47
SPEAKER_00: Uh Martha, you had a question.
50:49
SPEAKER_00: Do you rent bikes?
50:50
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yes, we do.
50:51
SPEAKER_00: We do rent bikes.
50:52
SPEAKER_00: Uh we rent them for like long term, or if you just need it for a couple of hours, we could do that too.
50:57
SPEAKER_00: Uh we rent a seven-speed, uh kind of like a road bike.
51:02
SPEAKER_00: Um, and uh we also rent uh the hybrid bike.
51:07
SPEAKER_00: So remember, I was talking about you could either be you could either ride a road or gravel.
51:13
SPEAKER_00: So we rent out uh hybrids and road bikes.
51:17
SPEAKER_01: So a hybrid is you you can ride on either terrain with that bike, correct?
51:21
SPEAKER_01: Okay, cool.
51:22
SPEAKER_01: Wow, that's awesome.
51:22
SPEAKER_01: Wow, so y'all do rent bikes.
51:24
SPEAKER_01: That's nice.
51:26
SPEAKER_01: That's cool.
51:26
SPEAKER_01: Uh uh uh we got uh Natalyn Ortiz, uh you're kind of a big deal whenever we're talking about your masters and your bastards, grow power.
51:35
SPEAKER_00: Thank you, thank you, and you're kind of a big too.
51:39
SPEAKER_01: We got Alex in here.
51:40
SPEAKER_01: Uh we're gonna have a podcast with him tomorrow.
51:43
SPEAKER_01: He's got a dope shop.
51:45
SPEAKER_01: Um uh if you haven't that's gonna be tomorrow, check it out.
51:48
SPEAKER_01: He's uh Alex Adondo for El Vago Burgers and Barbecue.
51:52
SPEAKER_01: We're gonna have him on tomorrow.
51:54
SPEAKER_00: Oh, I saw you had um you had Michael White, yeah.
51:57
SPEAKER_01: Michael White.
51:59
SPEAKER_01: Oh man, that dude is awesome, man.
52:01
SPEAKER_00: That burger looks awesome too, though.
52:02
SPEAKER_01: Like, oh yeah, yeah, man.
52:04
SPEAKER_01: It was a good time.
52:05
SPEAKER_01: It was a good time yesterday.
52:06
SPEAKER_00: Make me have to ride double this week.
52:08
SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah, for real.
52:11
SPEAKER_00: Triple, maybe.
52:12
SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
52:12
SPEAKER_00: Was it a triple meat burger?
52:14
SPEAKER_01: Because no, man, it was uh it was like two patties, cheese, and then brisket and toasted buns upside the upside down toasted buns, bro.
52:24
SPEAKER_01: Uh, yeah, yeah.
52:26
SPEAKER_01: And uh his story is pretty cool too.
52:27
SPEAKER_01: Like it's it's it was cool to get to know him, uh, and his story about his place.
52:31
SPEAKER_00: So that add an egg, add a an over medium egg to that.
52:34
SPEAKER_00: Boom.
52:35
SPEAKER_01: Let him know, man.
52:36
SPEAKER_00: I'm pretty sure he'll go add an egg.
52:39
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely, man.
52:41
SPEAKER_01: That's that's gonna be a good show.
52:43
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so I I kind of wanted to, I wanted to ride, but I think I like cruising.
52:48
SPEAKER_01: Uh I mean, I don't know if it's a if I need a cruiser bike, and I just want to be comfortable in driving it because every bike that I've tried, it's like either seats too high and you wave forward or something weird, and I try adjusting, I'm like, man, this bike sucks.
53:03
SPEAKER_01: I'm not even comfortable, you know what I mean?
53:05
SPEAKER_00: So we offer uh we sell a brand called McCarge, and uh my dad actually rides one, it's a stretch cruiser.
53:13
SPEAKER_00: I mean, we're talking like the limousine of bicycle.
53:17
SPEAKER_00: So um, but yeah, or or so these uh these come kind of full ready, right?
53:24
SPEAKER_00: Uh build um, what is it called?
53:27
SPEAKER_00: Stock, I guess is the the term.
53:30
SPEAKER_00: Um but you can also build your own.
53:33
SPEAKER_00: Like we have we have we got the technology, nice technology to like help you build a custom bike.
53:40
SPEAKER_00: Um we if you wanted like a big old saddle or you want it all chromed out, or you wanted like a tail or you know, something you uh we can actually help build you something custom.
53:55
SPEAKER_01: Wow.
53:56
SPEAKER_01: So I get I guess that comes with riding, like, oh, I would like this.
54:00
SPEAKER_01: So you ride for a little while and you're like, Oh, I think I would like this.
54:02
SPEAKER_01: Is that how yeah, okay.
54:04
SPEAKER_00: So I will say this uh going custom is not for the faint of heart.
54:07
SPEAKER_00: Oh I mean, you go custom, I mean your wallet is gonna feel it.
54:14
SPEAKER_00: You know, that's amazing, custom.
54:16
SPEAKER_00: That's with like custom low rider, like cars, custom bikes.
54:19
SPEAKER_00: Uh your your wallet's gonna feel it.
54:22
SPEAKER_00: So, but we'll do our best to try to stay in your budget.
54:25
SPEAKER_00: So you come talk to us, uh, let us know what you're looking for, let us know your budget, and we'll be happy to to work with it.
54:33
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so how how do we find how do we find you online or uh I know it's at hype bike, is that at every social media platform?
54:41
SPEAKER_00: You know what?
54:42
SPEAKER_00: I was very fortunate to to capture that.
54:44
SPEAKER_00: So yes, uh it's every platform, but on Facebook, I you know I should have been more conscientious about this.
54:51
SPEAKER_00: Uh-huh.
54:52
SPEAKER_00: I put a space in between.
54:54
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
54:55
SPEAKER_00: So on Facebook, it's actually H space, Y space, P space.
55:01
SPEAKER_00: So um roll with that.
55:03
SPEAKER_00: But uh mistakes mistakes were made in so you it they won't let you change it.
55:09
SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
55:10
SPEAKER_00: I I'm gonna try, but yeah, I'm gonna try.
55:14
SPEAKER_00: But I think it's like the hype bike.
55:16
SPEAKER_00: Uh I got hypebike.com, so that was cool.
55:20
SPEAKER_00: Nice.
55:21
SPEAKER_00: Um, email is hypebikeco at gmail.com, so I was late for that one.
55:27
SPEAKER_00: Uh, and then um Instagram, threads, uh, where else am I?
55:33
SPEAKER_00: TikTok, uh, Snapchat is all hype bike.
55:36
SPEAKER_01: That's nice.
55:38
SPEAKER_01: What's actually the so did you put the Y in for the I?
55:42
SPEAKER_01: Um why did you why did you do that?
55:46
SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
55:47
SPEAKER_00: I was trying to be trendy, His okay.
55:50
SPEAKER_00: Trendy, like I said, mistakes were made.
55:53
SPEAKER_00: Right, right.
55:54
SPEAKER_00: Well, they got yeah, you gotta get this or like you know, when people type in hype bike, they're like H Y P E B I K E, and I was like, Oh, you spelled it wrong.
56:02
SPEAKER_00: I mean, I spelled it wrong, but you spelled it wrong too.
56:04
SPEAKER_00: Like, so I was trying to be trendy and I was trying to be different, like I said earlier, dare to take risks, you know.
56:11
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, definitely.
56:13
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, no, yeah, you're definitely right, spot on that.
56:15
SPEAKER_01: Like, if you don't take risks, you're just you're not even gonna move, you're just gonna, and cycling is about moving, you know what I mean?
56:21
SPEAKER_01: You gotta put your you gotta put your foot on the pedal, you gotta start moving, uh go forward.
56:26
SPEAKER_00: That's one thing about cycling is that in order to maintain your balance, you gotta keep going.
56:30
SPEAKER_01: Shh, dang, that's good.
56:32
SPEAKER_01: Or some fallover.
56:34
SPEAKER_01: Wow, that's awesome! That's awesome.
56:36
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so uh we're winding down here, got a few more minutes left.
56:40
SPEAKER_01: Is there anything anything else you'd like to share?
56:42
SPEAKER_01: Or do you have anything in mind?
56:45
SPEAKER_00: So my husband chimed in.
56:47
SPEAKER_00: He says, Hey, uh, if you're in the market for a bicycle, uh, we offer financing and layaway.
56:52
SPEAKER_00: So come visit us.
56:54
SPEAKER_01: Yes, and no, no excuse, gotta get there.
56:56
SPEAKER_00: Right, we're not trying to make it difficult, we make it possible for you.
57:00
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that's nice.
57:02
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we're we're we're we're here for you guys.
57:04
SPEAKER_00: Um, it's the truth.
57:06
SPEAKER_00: We're here for your for you guys.
57:07
SPEAKER_00: We're trying to just promote the happiness of riding a bike, right?
57:12
SPEAKER_01: Right.
57:12
SPEAKER_01: And so your address, your address is 311, right?
57:15
SPEAKER_00: It is 311 People Street.
57:17
SPEAKER_00: We're right behind Tyspice on we're on People Street, they're on Water Street.
57:21
SPEAKER_00: Uh, but yeah, we're right behind them.
57:23
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, you're right, you're right in the middle.
57:25
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, you're like right in the middle.
57:27
SPEAKER_01: Whenever you have art walk, right?
57:28
SPEAKER_01: It's kind of red in the center area.
57:30
SPEAKER_00: Yep.
57:31
SPEAKER_00: And so, like, if you're visiting the Selena, just walk inwards, just walk towards the downtown and you'll hit us.
57:37
SPEAKER_01: Nice.
57:37
SPEAKER_01: All right, cool.
57:38
SPEAKER_01: So one other thing, uh, if you don't mind.
57:41
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, go ahead, go ahead.
57:42
SPEAKER_00: Well, it's just going back to the advocacy thing.
57:45
SPEAKER_00: Um, so for those who want to get involved in the advocacy of safer bicycle lanes and Corpus Christi, uh, please follow iBike C C.
57:54
SPEAKER_00: That one's spelled correctly.
57:56
SPEAKER_00: I B I C uh B-I-K-E-C-C uh on Facebook, on Instagram.
58:02
SPEAKER_00: Uh, my good friend is uh running that and she's doing amazing at um making or building that platform and building uh the community surrounding uh a safer cycling uh experience in Corpus Christi.
58:15
SPEAKER_00: And you know, not just for the locals, not for people who live here, but people who are visiting.
58:21
SPEAKER_00: You know, there's a lot of people that visit, they rent bikes, they want to know where they can ride.
58:25
SPEAKER_00: I'd like to be able to tell them everywhere.
58:27
SPEAKER_00: I'd like to be able to share that.
58:29
SPEAKER_01: I like yeah, I like that Facebook has that feature where and and that people use it a lot for their communities.
58:35
SPEAKER_01: That's it's very, very helpful, I think.
58:38
SPEAKER_01: Uh, but yeah, check it out, iBike CC and Facebook to get to for advocacy of cycle cycling cyclists.
58:45
SPEAKER_01: If you want to be a part of that, that's awesome.
58:47
SPEAKER_01: Wow, that's awesome.
58:48
SPEAKER_00: It's about safety, man.
58:49
SPEAKER_00: Um, we're trying not to lose any more lives.
58:52
SPEAKER_01: Um, yeah, I saw that somebody had lost their lives read.
58:55
SPEAKER_01: Somebody posted right it uh one of y'all's uh or somebody got hit or something on that same place, and it's Jocelyn or something like that.
59:02
SPEAKER_00: That's why I brought that one up, uh Jesus, because that's it's a constant uh that that intersection is a constant uh issue.
59:11
SPEAKER_00: Um, I don't know what why.
59:13
SPEAKER_00: Uh maybe I don't know.
59:16
SPEAKER_00: I can't even begin to understand.
59:18
SPEAKER_01: I mean, maybe I can I mean because there's a lot, it seems like there's a lot of college students in that area.
59:23
SPEAKER_01: Maybe I don't know.
59:25
SPEAKER_01: There's maybe a lot of young people, people go into the island from MS NS Jocelyn.
59:29
SPEAKER_01: I mean, there's a lot of traffic in that area, and it sucks.
59:31
SPEAKER_01: There's three lanes that go into two.
59:33
SPEAKER_01: That doesn't make any sense because most inner most of those the underpasses have three lanes, and very few of them go from three to two, right?
59:44
SPEAKER_01: It's it's it's a very special one.
59:46
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's almost like a road defect, you know, uh uh a planning defect on that on that uh in that area.
59:51
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, uh, so what happened?
59:53
SPEAKER_00: I think uh maybe what you're referring to is uh a cyclist got assaulted.
59:58
SPEAKER_01: Oh, there it is.
1:00:00
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so what from what I understand, I wasn't there, so um, this is kind of second third hand, right?
1:00:06
SPEAKER_00: Um a group of cyclists were taking the lane to go straight on and on Annis Jocelyn, and um a driver got a little irate, he got a little impatient, and he circled the crew and got in front of them and was just upset, honking his horn, blah blah blah.
1:00:24
SPEAKER_00: And um one of the cycling uh participants said, Hey man, what's what's wrong?
1:00:30
SPEAKER_00: Like, it's okay, you know, it's just momentarily, right?
1:00:33
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, dude got out of his car, assaulted the the cyclist who mind you is I think he's like over 70 years old, which I think is illegal.
1:00:43
SPEAKER_00: So he assaulted him, put him in the hospital.
1:00:45
SPEAKER_00: Um my god, yeah, I think I think he went to the hospital.
1:00:48
SPEAKER_00: I'm sorry, don't quote me on that part.
1:00:50
SPEAKER_00: Um, but he he got beat up.
1:00:52
SPEAKER_00: He got beat up, is what happened.
1:00:54
SPEAKER_01: Oh man, wow.
1:00:57
SPEAKER_01: Okay, man.
1:00:58
SPEAKER_01: But yeah, that yeah, no, this is why this is one of the reasons why I like having you on that you know, for this type of information, I like for this podcast to be informational.
1:01:09
SPEAKER_01: Uh, I'm trying to, I'm trying not to be biased, and I'm trying to get both sides of the story.
1:01:14
SPEAKER_01: If there is another side of the story from you know, just different uh um, how do you say, industries, art, whatever in the city.
1:01:22
SPEAKER_01: So definitely having you on helps me, helps our viewers, uh, our city.
1:01:28
SPEAKER_01: You know what I mean?
1:01:28
SPEAKER_01: I want for our city to prosper, um, but definitely.
1:01:32
SPEAKER_01: And I think this is a an important issue because our roads are important, you know what I mean?
1:01:37
SPEAKER_01: Our drivers and just having that knowledge is uh helpful for our city.
1:01:42
SPEAKER_01: I think it's awesome.
1:01:43
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, there's been uh I think a loss of life on Weber and Holly more than once.
1:01:49
SPEAKER_00: Um we're talking consistent consistent injuries at these at some of these intersections.
1:01:56
SPEAKER_00: And um until they're until they're addressed by the city, yeah.
1:02:01
SPEAKER_00: I mean, yeah, how do we all we can do is talk about it and do what we can to try to fix it.
1:02:08
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, man, it's it's stuck in a rock in a hard place, right?
1:02:13
SPEAKER_01: When it comes to that, yeah, for sure.
1:02:16
SPEAKER_01: That sucks.
1:02:17
SPEAKER_01: Oh well, thanks for coming on.
1:02:18
SPEAKER_01: Uh, I gotta get yeah, I gotta get back to my my wife and my kids over there.
1:02:22
SPEAKER_01: I got them locked up in the room, they're like uh busy, they want to come out.
1:02:30
SPEAKER_00: Cool.
1:02:30
SPEAKER_00: Well, uh uh Jesus, thank you.
1:02:32
SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much for uh having us part of this.
1:02:35
SPEAKER_00: And um, if there's ever anything you may need from us or any kind of um support, please feel free to reach out.
1:02:42
SPEAKER_00: And for all you who are looking for a bike and or maybe you maybe you need an outlet and you're not quite sure what it is, try giving cycling a try.
1:02:50
SPEAKER_01: Nice.
1:02:50
SPEAKER_00: We're here for you.
1:02:51
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, nice.
1:02:52
SPEAKER_01: Wow.
1:02:52
SPEAKER_01: Hi, Bike Melanie.
1:02:54
SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much for coming on.
1:02:55
SPEAKER_01: Appreciate it.
1:02:56
SPEAKER_01: We'll be in touch.
1:02:56
SPEAKER_01: I'll see you later.
1:02:57
SPEAKER_00: Yes, sir.
1:02:58
SPEAKER_00: Take care.
1:02:58
SPEAKER_00: Y'all have a great day.
1:02:59
SPEAKER_00: Stay blessed.
1:03:00
SPEAKER_01: Bye.