Bike to Work Week - Day Two

Bike to Work Week - Day Two

***a quick note about yesterdays blog (Wireless computers and Cottage Cheese) The title was the working title that I was supposed to change to Bike to Work Week day one. I forgot until after I posted it and decided what the hell leave it be, I liked it. It referred to the wireless Bicycle computer that got all wacky at the market... not a wireless laptop as some people seem to think. The cottage cheese reference was due to that being one of the things I bought at the store that I was positive had come open in my messenger bag on the few blocks to home... it didn't.****

I woke up at 630 to thunder and pouring rain. "Good think I dont have to be at work until 1" I thought as I rolled over and snuggled under my blanket and went back to sleep. Finally got up a 9. It looked wet and crappy outside. Swung out of bed, shuffled into the bathroom for a quick shower to shave. Shuffled to the living room and fired up the computer. Shuffled to the kitchen and fired up the stove. Sausage... mmmmmmm... good.... dinked around on the computer for a bit looking out side at the drippy weather. Gathered the gear, stuffed it in the messengers bag and checked the tires on the BFM. Fenders will be a good thing today it appears. Swung my leg over the top tube just as the sky decided to be drippier than it had been in the last couple of hours. "This might suck" I told myself as I spun down the street. "At least go to the bank and see what the weather does." For some reason I am now trying to talk myself into this ride. I came out of the bank and nothing has changed. I was feeling pretty good and the bike is rolling nicely so I headed south west.
It was a great ride today, heavy mist and a few drips here and there. My biggest concern being getting too much water on the glasses to be able to see. It never really got that bad.
Got to work and discovered that the UPS man had brought plenty of goodies... including a box from Swobo for yours truly.
My Shpantz are finally here!
Hopped in the shop shower to rinse off the road crud and pulled on my new short pants (hence the name shpantz. "Too long to be shorts. Too short to be pants. Shpantz!" Thanks Arj and Poopy for that little diddy.) The Swobo J-Mak knickers are pretty slick. I was worried about the fit because I have bought other "fancy" knickers before and couldn't get my big ass into them. Not the case here. The 38s fit great and have just a bit of sag with room to spare just in case I balloon up again. I also got my Daryl... nice. Too bad we aren't allowed to wear hats at work or I would have had it on all day.
I received a couple of emails from various people in our company about how great of a job I have been doing lately. More than anything it has to do with a big clothing transfer that all of our stores did to our Colorado location. Apparently I was the only person that actually did it the was it was asked to be done by the folks in Denver. Groovy.
Also I got a call from a very good friend up in Washington state. A super former local couple had their first child this morning. They are a couple of great kids, great cyclists and I would bet they will make great parents for their new boy.
The day other wise went smooth. I didn't get as much done as I would have liked too but there was alot of other stuff going on and I was out working the floor for the last couple of hours of the day.
We did get the early release 2008 bike cataloged from Specialized today. It featured the fast looking Transition (if you are in to that time trial stuff), some new versions of the Langster, a SS version of the Tricross dubbed Singlecross, and the thing I have been waiting for... several versions of a 29er. The Stumpjumper Comp (my personal choice), Stumpjumper HT, Rockhopper Comp, and Rockhopper Disc. All in 29er form and all with sliding dropouts on the rear making them single speed compatible.
Hells yeah.
The ST Comp is on my short list... if I can afford to get one. I would have to sell all the parts on it to afford to keep the frame. Which is fine... mine will be SS. The build kit for it has been whirling around in my head for months. I am very excited to see one in person. I hope on his next visit the rep has his and maybe a deal for me (Shhhhhhh.... he and I discussed the idea of me getting one as cheap as possible or as a demo for the season). Worst case I will get one of the Rockhoppers... maybe even the cheapest one... I don't need the stock parts and it comes in a rock'n mango color. We shall see.
The rest of the day passed with out incident. It was well after 8 when we finally got everything shut down at the store and I changed my duds. My jersey that I wore in was still damp and it had cooled down considerably out side. I pulled on my bibs and my base T and put my knew Swobo J-Maks on. I dug in the free T-shirt box in the lunch room and found a XL orange Jagermister shirt to wear. I dug around in my bag and couldn't find my Swobo arm warmers like I thought I had. I was a bit disappointed but I ended up not needing them.
The ride home was fun. Lights blazing on the back and front I was very visible to motorists. I think I only used my middle finger once.
Log in another 30 miles to the KC Commuter Challenge today. I checked the rankings and out of 246 registered commuters I am ranked 7th. Pretty good I thought. The first two guys have broken the 100 mark already. I know the current leader and he is a DB. I'd bet he is using more than just commuting miles. I figure if I can get 40 miles a day for the next 3 I will be at 189 for the week which I think isn't too shabby in just commuting miles for the week.
Tomorrow... day three.