Mar
23
“What’s a Hoos’gow, you ask?” Well, Interbike’s hometown of San Juan Capistrano takes great pride in its place in California and American history. SJC is the site of the Mission San Juan Capistrano, founded in 1776, and is the home of California’s oldest residential neighborhood, Los Rios. Another neat fact that I just learned is that SJC was the site for the first Zorro novella, The Curse of Capistrano.
SJC is also known for its swallows. According to legend, each Spring, the swallows return from wintering in Argentina to the Mission. Parades, parties and celebrations ensue surrounding this annual event known as the Fiesta de las Golondrinas. Part of these festivities is Hoos’gow Day.
On this day in San Juan, if you aren’t wearing western attire or are clean-shaven as a man, you are liable to be “arrested” by the sheriffs and deputies of the Fiesta Association and placed into the town’s hoos’gow.
On our morning walk to buy coffee, Lance (IB’s show director) and I realized that we forgot that it was western day. To make matters worse, Lance even wore his New York Yankees shirt – about as un-western as you can get. Lauren, Interbike’s operations coordinator, brought in one of those big foam cowboy hats just in case someone forgot to dress right. I was the only one with enough nerve to wear it. I was 6′3″… 6′9″ with the hat (for the Fletch fans out there).
We walked past a diner on the way to coffee, and the whole posse of 40 or so lawmen and women-far-a-day was out front having breakfast. All wearing long black trenchcoats dusters (thanks Fritz) and black cowboy hats. A lot of the men had natural big bushy cowboy mustaches under their noses. Lance casually put his hand over the “NY” on his shirt and picked up his pace bit. With the actual hoos’gow (which is an old term for jail) right there on a trailer on its way to downtown, he tried to avoid making eye contact with any of them. I got a few approving tips of the hat for my 40 gallon chapeau. I can say with pride that I had the biggest hat today in San Juan. That’s right, pilgrim.
There is a bike industry related story here, by the way. Exactly one year ago today, Lance had a visit from an industry associate from Germany and his wife who were in the area. Lance took them to lunch at our favorite restaurant to bring clients to, The Ramos House, here in SJC. By all accounts, they had a very nice meal and good conversation. Both Lance and his guest are avid guitar players and share a love of Fender guitars. On the walk back to the office, though, they were stopped by one the aforementioned deputies. Seems like they had forgotten to wear their best western wear and would have to do their time in the hoos’gow. Lance felt a little embarrassed at the unexpected treatment with his guests in tow, but they took it in stride and chalked it up to a unique American experience. To get out of the hoos’gow, you have to pay bail. Actually, it’s a donation to the Swallow’s Day Parade to help offset the cost of the event. All three paid their bail and went on their way with a funny story to bring back home and to the office. I think there’s a photo around here somewhere of them behind bars.
What makes the story even funnier, is who the industry associate was. It’s even funnier now given what transpired six months later. The couple from Germany was none other than Erich Reiss from Eurobike and his delightful wife.
Now, you know the rest of the story…
Comments
3 Responses to “Hoos’gow Day in San Juan Capistrano”
Pardner, only a shifty green horn Californian would call a western coat a “trenchcoat.” Back where I’m from, we call ‘em “Dusters.”
Loved the end of your story. I totally heard Paul Harvey’s voice in there
Fritz,
Thanks for the nice comment. I was curious if anyone would catch the Paul Harvey reference. I didn’t write it with that in mind, it just came out as I finished telling the story. It was as if I was channeling Paul himself. Hope he doesn’t have that catch phrase copyrighted or anything.
On the duster/trenchcoat issue, I wrote it knowing it was wrong but never took the time to track down the real name. I’ll go in and correct it now, Keemosabe.
Hope you’re feeling better following the pedal mishap…
Rich
Perhaps in hindsight I should have left Erich and his wife Diana in jail?
Kidding of course…, Erich and I still chat and something I have learned over time is that “business is business”. This world is too small to make enemies, particularly in the bike industry, where I think the same couple of hundred people are circulating around and around and around…..