|
DOWNWIND
SPORTS
A BIASED REVIEW
The Down Wind Sports staff take a moment to 'make pretty' with
team Drivers Club as they make some last minute purchases before
Ore 2 Shore '07
The best local bike shop has
always been up for debate. Norman prefers The Bike Shop
because he worked there. Chris likes Zion Cyclery because
Dave the mechanic plies his trade there, and Heather shops at
Racine Cyclery mainly for the trek stuff. Up until
recently the honor of Drivers Club favorite non local bike shop
has been Middle Ring Cycles in Bob Marley(Albemarle),NC.
With Tracy and Brian stocking all our favorite Specialized
equipment and bikes, fresh brewed coffee and cookies they
appeared to have the title locked up. Where else can you
walk into a bike shop blind and be greeted with "Are y'all the
boys from Wisconsin"
Finally a bike shop has given
them some competition, Downwind Sports in Marquette, MI.
We arrived one day five members
strong desperate for components after a catastrophic first night
in Ishpeming. The key to a good bike shop is friendly and
knowledgeable staff. We have found it
difficult to find retail establishments willing to persevere the
Drivers Club obnoxious sense of humor. To their credit
they tolerated being trapped in a corner, parts being thrown
around, being blamed for calling a certain stoker fat and ugly
and some embarrassing game with a dropped pen, and they never
threatened to call the 5-0 once. The ladies knew exactly
what we needed and everything, with the exception of a bite
valve, was in stock. That's right, a bike shop with parts
in stock, amazing.
In the course of the Drivers
Club 2007 World Tour we have been in many bike shops and many
sporting goods stores. DWS is the best of both worlds, DWS
had something for everything in our group. Camping stuff
for Chris, Climbing gear for Heather, kayaks for Dan, and even
an ice axe for Rumme and Jim to climb Pancake Hill this winter.
To be fair DWS is not a true
bike shop, it is a sporting goods store. It would be
unfair to both DWS and Middle ring to attempt a comparison.
With this being said it has become a rite of passage for any new
Ore 2 Shore racer on our team. Go to Marquette, eat at the
Pasta Shop, see where Joey Claire hangs out (Mostly the
Landmark), see the band at the portside, and go to
Downwind Sports even if you don't need anything.
We like the location, we like
the haphazard layout of the store, but mostly we like the
people. You can buy a cassette at Nashbar, for a sporting
goods store to survive in these trying times of globalization
and national chain stores you need people who have a passion for
their particular verb. It can be bike, paddle, ski, climb,
whatever. The people at DWS like what they do and want
other people to like it as well. It is for these reasons
The Drivers Club has named them our favorite sporting goods
store. No trip to Marquette would be complete without a
visit.
Joey Kool-aid
(This review may or may not
have been actually written by Joey)
OTHER PEOPLE WE LIKE IN
MARQUETTE
Kelly Ellerbrook & Charlie pose with the DC crew. The City
folk were out of their element here, but they cheered loudly
when Kelly entered the arena for the barrel race.
Mary gave us directions (and drew us a map) while still managing
to wait on all 18 of her tables. All this while her
co-workers gossip in 'private'.
|
