Creston: The High Road

Hundreds of road cyclists were slated to take to Creston’s highways and byways in April, but as with so many events and gatherings across the nation, SLO Bicycle Club’s Wildflower Century and the Creston Women’s Club’s related annual Creston Spaghetti Feed have been canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic. The fundraising effort has been replaced by a community endeavor to keep our elderly, frail and immune-compromised safe by providing neighborly deliveries of staple items.

The Creston Women’s Club emergency relief effort aims to further make connections between the frail and volunteers who can deliver staples, toiletries, prescriptions and necessary items from town. To request assistance, visit bit.ly/CrestonHelp.

Before the cancellations were within the realm of possibility, SLO County Library Director Chris Barnickel got a jump start on the ride with an eventful ride of his own that demonstrated just how close and wonderful our little community is. Barnickel was taking advantage of the cool weather with a late winter ride on Creston’s newly paved sections when his bike’s rear derailleur pulley went through his spokes. He’d made last-minute route changes, unforecasted rain was threatening, homes were few and far between, and cell service was spotty.

But of all the places he could have broken down, there he was, just down the hill from Susan Poteet’s picture windows. Susan, a past president of the Foundation for San Luis Obispo County Public Libraries, and her husband, Neal, have enjoyed working with and getting together with Chris and his wife, Catharine.

“I thought it was great he’d call up to the house for a ride to Santa Margarita,” Poteet said. “I could see him down there, talking to me on his phone. It just illustrated the fact he’s done a great job making relationships in the community, not just with library friends, but between a lot of different organizations here to bring together this amazing gift we have in this county.”

Anyone who has lived in SLO County for long has experienced some unique meetings: finding each other on a trail, fishing alongside work buddies who chose the same day to play hooky, meeting up with favorite shop owners off the beaten path.

“All these connections in SLO County are phenomenal,” Barnickel said.

If you have it in you, please continue supporting the nonprofits that are having to cancel their fundraising events. Creston Garden Club will dig deep to keep the garden beautiful for all without its annual Plant and Bake Sale, and Creston Women’s Club will be doing what it can to continue supporting student scholarships.

And please continue supporting our local small businesses shuttered by these events. At press time, The Loading Chute was taking call-in orders for pickup and Creston Market was still open for business. Taking the High Road in CRESTON Creston | Jennifer Best