09/21/2026
Those of you who have been dining with us for years may remember “that bushy guy” that was behind the bar, or maybe serving your table, or maybe just clearing your table, or maybe even at the host desk greeting you like a friend after so many years. Some of you may actually remember him as “Jay” because if you were here even a couple of times, he would have affected you in some positive way that compelled you to learn his name, like “who was that guy last time that told me the story about why Brad’s grandma served tomato juice alongside the chopped liver?”
And even if you didn’t get to know his face or his name, you might have tasted a deliciously interesting, maybe even provocative glass of w**e he chose. Or you heard a song on that evening’s playlist that you thought nobody in the world knew except you. Or you swooned over the Moqueca Baiana, not realizing that Jay had returned from a years long sojourn in Brazil, insisted Haley put this dish on the menu, and then doggedly oversaw the entire process to ensure authenticity.
Well, you may or may not have noticed that Jay hasn’t worked here for a couple of years. Jay is a calling follower, always has been. Scenic Routes Community Bicycle Shop is his latest (and maybe greatest) calling, and is an antidote to just about everything in this world that is headed in the wrong direction. This year alone they have given away over $18,000 in free or heavily discounted work for those who otherwise couldn’t afford to get their bike up and running safely. They have even repaired bikes in trade for the best walnut grandma cookies imaginable.
EVERYTHING benefits from the existence of Scenic Routes, and anyone who has the means should help it to survive and thrive. Currently, they are starting a $25 monthly Sustaining Membership that helps keeps the free work free for the people who need it. If you don’t want to do that, you can help by taking your bike there for a tune up or by buying a bike there (trust me every bike there has a story and a history and they may even make you the bike of your dreams for very little money if you smile at them the right way). Or you can learn how to fix a flat at one of their free classes.
