by Lori Maucieri

Team Cruise and Booze had our annual Christmas Light Ride through Deerfield a few days before Christmas.  Not all our members could attend this year due to out of town conflicts.  The members that were in attendance were Brian and Pam Spraetz, John, Laurie, and Zac Evans, Rick, Lori, and Nic Maucieri.  This year, we had Warren and Audre Casteel along as our special guests of honor.  The Christmas Light Tour started at the Evan’s cul-de-sac and wound through the trails and streets leading to Deerfield.

Everyone was donned in festive Christmas attire and every bike was wrapped with battery operated Christmas lights.  I was quite surprised to see that John Evans had not wrapped his precious new bike in bubble wrap first before he ensconced his pride and joy in lights for fear of scratching it….but then again bubble wrap would add more weight to this magnificent stealth machine.  It was a cold ride as the 10 of us weaved through the streets of Deerfield amongst the cars and horse drawn carriages with Christmas music blaring from ipod speakers on the back of Evan’s bike….reeking of Freddishness.

I quite enjoyed watching Mr. and Mrs. Safety Casteel on their festive tandem, bite their tongues as the Light Brigade unconventionally snaked its way through the streets as if in a game of Frogger. We mesmerized the passersby’s with our “twinkliness” and they all waved and shouted “Merry Christmas” to us from their cars.  When we made it safely back to the cul-de-sac (despite the leadership)….we all ended up in the Evan’s festive and warm house to enjoy hot chocolate, yummy snacks, and beer (and not necessarily in that order) that Laurie had prepared for us! It was a truly fun and awesome event that I look forward to every year! Here’s to wishing all the members of PBA a wonderful and joyous New Year!