To the Editor:
My partner and I have always enjoyed the motorcycle ride from Trail to Creston to Crawford Bay to Nelson and back home. It’s part of our summer fun to include that ride at least twice a year. However, Aug. 1 gave us even more reason to relish our brief stops in Creston and make them even longer in the future.
It all started rather disappointingly when we had a flat tire midway between Creston and Wynndel. To make matters worse, it was approaching 5 p.m. on a Saturday of a long weekend. That told me there would be no shops open and odds were it wasn’t going to be until Tuesday before I could even get someone to repair the tire.
But the disappointment quickly dissipated thanks to the kindness of so many people.
There were a few fellow motorcyclists who stopped and offered use of their phone and patch kits but my tire was beyond patching and help was soon to arrive.
Before we enlisted the help of a tow truck, a kind soul, who had an air compressor on his vehicle, offered to follow us to Creston and refilling the tire at the first sign that it was losing air. He gave my partner a ride while I navigated the motorcycle into Creston with only one extra stop to replenish the air in my tire.
The driver then led me directly to Koots Motorcyle Shop where I expected to leave my bike and some sorry note pleading for help when he reopened his business on Tuesday. But I had barely put the kickstand down when the owner, Don, pulled up. He took one look at us and, even though it was now 5:30 p.m. on the Saturday of a long weekend, opened up his shop and we rolled the bike in.
Don told us to go get a bite to eat and relax while he tackled our flat. Changing a flat on a motorcycle is no quick feat. It involved not only removing the tire but saddlebags, brakes and the other chrome attachments surrounding the tire.
But Don didn’t care what time it was, what day it was or that he hadn’t even had supper yet. He saw fellow riders in need of help and obliged with a smile and reassuring words.
He recommended a restaurant across the street — Jimmy’s Pub and Grill — and told us how long it would take and he would do his best to get us back on the road.
In the meantime, we assured friends and family back in Trail we were being taken care of by Creston’s guardian angels and asked them to look after our pets, who were expecting us home before suppertime.
With things well on the homefront and Don looking after our ride, words couldn’t express the gratitude in our hearts. Less than two hours prior we were stranded on the side of the road wondering, “What’s our next step?”
Don got us back on the road and accepted payment and a hearty hug from both of us.
We made it back home later that evening and continue to spread the word of the generosity of the Creston folks.
I believe small gestures make a big difference and while these two good deeds were large gestures, we are indebted for their generosity and vow to continue paying it forward. I think both men who helped us on Saturday would want it that way.
Thanks again, Creston! You are truly a gem in the Kootenays.
Guy Bertrand
Trail