Wawa (a Canada goose by any other name) is a rather remarkable chain of stores covering the mid-atlantic states. Apparently starting life as a dairy it has now morphed into something of a phenomenon. Known to me only because of this latest LAF Challenge I have come to really appreciate its convenience, its cleanliness and its cost efficiencies. It becomes home away from home for everything from gas to yogurt and fresh fruit to coffee. This is not your average “stop and rob” and there is little mistake that english is spoken here cheerfully, politely and as a first language.
After Saturday’s warm up ride I am sitting outside a pristine Wawa in Blue Bell looking mildly overheated and fumbling the top off a chocolate milk. A couple taking a break from an outing on their Harley Davidson wander over to check out the bike I am riding and marvel at the various bits of carbon and titanium and how they all came together so beautifully in a small factory in Glens Falls. NY. They are genuinely intrigued. Surely from other Wawa patrons viewpoints it must look odd, this couple off a super loud hog, dressed in leathers talking earnestly with a spandex clad guy whose only ride is about as flimsy as a flies wing and as silent as a ghost. None the less the conversation is super friendly and pleasantly lengthy. For the best part of forty minutes they tell of other nice routes for me to ride and in turn I tell them of tomorrow’s big ride with Lance Armstrong playing pied piper to a throng of five thousand. The pillion from Pennsylvania is teary eyed by the time I am done recounting some of the Challenge’s finish line tales. Wawa and your customer experience, please feel free to move to the Pacific North West. Such a small but important pleasure to pour the dairy product of your choice into your coffee directly from a carton (kept on ice) as one would at home. No none dairy creamer here ! (more…)