This makes me sound really boring, but, well, OK. I'm boring.
Things I am excited about:
I got a new helmet for $10 on Saturday at the Multnomah County Bike Fair. It looks pretty much like this one except that it's now got a reflective Eye to Eye sticker (I believe annesi's firm was involved with the graphic design for that campaign) and a Heart in Oregon sticker, and is going to collect more (and more interesting) stickers as time goes on.
I figured out all by myself how to install the underseat rack I've had since January on my recumbent, and I did it, and it worked! The figuring it out myself is the cool part, because I couldn't follow the shop guy's explanation 5 months ago when he gave it, nor could I remember any of it, and mechanical talent is not something of which I have an above-average amount. After some adjustment of the springs that are involved in attaching them to the rack, my panniers fit, although I haven't tried them out with a load yet; I'm not quite sure that they're tight enough, but I'm sure they can be tweaked.
Last week I rode down the west side of the river all the way to the Sellwood Bridge, which my bike map had implied could be done, but which I'd never tried. Not only is it possible, it's gorgeous. Lovely, peaceful views of the river and the houseboats on the other side. The path is broken up a little bit by streets but I didn't get lost. I rode home along the east side, which is a nice ride but not as scenic in the southern half. (The last couple of miles are right next to, or over, the river and you can see downtown and whatever's going on on the river, which is its own kind of cool but one that I've seen before. So the west side is what I happen to be excited about at this time.)
The backyard raspberries are ripening in abundance. I picked a quart on Sunday and another quart today.
My high school friend Ismail (né Brian; he converted to Islam at 14 and currently lives in Morocco, although he has been back and forth between the Middle East and the States) will be in the States (and mostly in the Monterey/Salinas area) during the time of our trip to the area in August. So even if he doesn't go to the reunion, we'll get to see him (though I believe he does plan to go). I haven't seen him in, hell, I don't even know how long. At least ten years.
OK, enough excitement for now. My office is overheated and I need to get this computer off my lap.
I got a new helmet for $10 on Saturday at the Multnomah County Bike Fair. It looks pretty much like this one except that it's now got a reflective Eye to Eye sticker (I believe annesi's firm was involved with the graphic design for that campaign) and a Heart in Oregon sticker, and is going to collect more (and more interesting) stickers as time goes on.
I figured out all by myself how to install the underseat rack I've had since January on my recumbent, and I did it, and it worked! The figuring it out myself is the cool part, because I couldn't follow the shop guy's explanation 5 months ago when he gave it, nor could I remember any of it, and mechanical talent is not something of which I have an above-average amount. After some adjustment of the springs that are involved in attaching them to the rack, my panniers fit, although I haven't tried them out with a load yet; I'm not quite sure that they're tight enough, but I'm sure they can be tweaked.
Last week I rode down the west side of the river all the way to the Sellwood Bridge, which my bike map had implied could be done, but which I'd never tried. Not only is it possible, it's gorgeous. Lovely, peaceful views of the river and the houseboats on the other side. The path is broken up a little bit by streets but I didn't get lost. I rode home along the east side, which is a nice ride but not as scenic in the southern half. (The last couple of miles are right next to, or over, the river and you can see downtown and whatever's going on on the river, which is its own kind of cool but one that I've seen before. So the west side is what I happen to be excited about at this time.)
The backyard raspberries are ripening in abundance. I picked a quart on Sunday and another quart today.
My high school friend Ismail (né Brian; he converted to Islam at 14 and currently lives in Morocco, although he has been back and forth between the Middle East and the States) will be in the States (and mostly in the Monterey/Salinas area) during the time of our trip to the area in August. So even if he doesn't go to the reunion, we'll get to see him (though I believe he does plan to go). I haven't seen him in, hell, I don't even know how long. At least ten years.
OK, enough excitement for now. My office is overheated and I need to get this computer off my lap.