More Bikes, Bitches and Blunts
I wish I wrote in here more. I want to write in here about 75% for myself and the rest for social interaction. Half the time I write it's only because I want to speak my mind to the world, but half the time I put aside writing because I don't want the world reading my thoughts. Guess I'm only a part-time exhibitionist. This journal thing here half-assedly servers two polar purposes.
Amy and I decided to stay the summer in Mt Pleasant. What happens after that is still perfectly clear as mud.
I've been spending a lot of time at the bike shop.
I rode 35 miles yesterday with a comical stop at the Shell in Rosebush. The people looked at me so weird. It was cold out, so I had to dress a little funny. I was wearing my black Airborne Express jacket and black Nike warmups. I had safety yellow reflective anklebands on to keep my pants out of the gears. I was wearing a full face balaclava with ski goggles and a red bike helmet. Oh, and black gloves too. I looked a lot like a puffy ninja, but I took off all the face coverings before going inside the gas station to get food. Surprisingly my hair style was almost normal, however I was drenched in sweat and my face was very red from exertion and the cold. The purpose of my stop was also somewhat comical. I bought an extra large Jack Links beef jerky, a large gasaccino (because the coffee looked awful and old) and a large bag of Gardetto's. I peeled off my sweat-soaked Airborne jacket and draped it over the bench of a restaurant booth they had near the window. This happily was the same windows that my bike was leaning against. I then proceeded to devour all of the aforementioned foodstuffs. I had gone 25 miles or so at this point so I was starving.
A high-school boy and girl walked up outside, the girl pointed and laughed at my unlocked bike, helmet, and ski goggles. I'm not sure why she laughed but I did hear them trying to pronounce the French name, "Peugeot." They kept looking at me while they were in the gas station. I was amused by this, but was too shy to say anything.
I'm currently re-reading Slaughterhouse 5. I've started talking to my parents again. I went to visit Ruthie in DeKalb 2 weekends ago and stopped to see them on the way home. Ruthie's was fun, although I was in an odd state of mind and found it hard to relax and be fun.
While I was home I picked up my Mom's old bike to fix for her. She gave me $150 to start with. It's going to cost about $350. The thing was in *really* bad shape and is basically getting all new parts. I was able to save the 3 speed Sturmey Archer hub, the bottom bracket cups, and the top half of the headset. It's a sweet lugged 1963 Apollo ladies frame from England, and it will be a nice custom bike when she gets it back. To me, that is worth the money, and she's never owned a nice bike before, I just hope she can be convinced enough to pay me back for the parts.
Here's the bike in it's current state, on it are the parts I'm saving and the new bottom headset cup and race.
Side View
Crappy detail of some of the seat tube decals and Sturmey 3 speed AW
Crappy detail of the head tube badge and *new* lower headset parts - it's smooooth :)
She declined any repainting or braze-on work because she likes the battered old look it's got now, and I have to agree at least a little.
Amy and I decided to stay the summer in Mt Pleasant. What happens after that is still perfectly clear as mud.
I've been spending a lot of time at the bike shop.
I rode 35 miles yesterday with a comical stop at the Shell in Rosebush. The people looked at me so weird. It was cold out, so I had to dress a little funny. I was wearing my black Airborne Express jacket and black Nike warmups. I had safety yellow reflective anklebands on to keep my pants out of the gears. I was wearing a full face balaclava with ski goggles and a red bike helmet. Oh, and black gloves too. I looked a lot like a puffy ninja, but I took off all the face coverings before going inside the gas station to get food. Surprisingly my hair style was almost normal, however I was drenched in sweat and my face was very red from exertion and the cold. The purpose of my stop was also somewhat comical. I bought an extra large Jack Links beef jerky, a large gasaccino (because the coffee looked awful and old) and a large bag of Gardetto's. I peeled off my sweat-soaked Airborne jacket and draped it over the bench of a restaurant booth they had near the window. This happily was the same windows that my bike was leaning against. I then proceeded to devour all of the aforementioned foodstuffs. I had gone 25 miles or so at this point so I was starving.
A high-school boy and girl walked up outside, the girl pointed and laughed at my unlocked bike, helmet, and ski goggles. I'm not sure why she laughed but I did hear them trying to pronounce the French name, "Peugeot." They kept looking at me while they were in the gas station. I was amused by this, but was too shy to say anything.
I'm currently re-reading Slaughterhouse 5. I've started talking to my parents again. I went to visit Ruthie in DeKalb 2 weekends ago and stopped to see them on the way home. Ruthie's was fun, although I was in an odd state of mind and found it hard to relax and be fun.
While I was home I picked up my Mom's old bike to fix for her. She gave me $150 to start with. It's going to cost about $350. The thing was in *really* bad shape and is basically getting all new parts. I was able to save the 3 speed Sturmey Archer hub, the bottom bracket cups, and the top half of the headset. It's a sweet lugged 1963 Apollo ladies frame from England, and it will be a nice custom bike when she gets it back. To me, that is worth the money, and she's never owned a nice bike before, I just hope she can be convinced enough to pay me back for the parts.
Here's the bike in it's current state, on it are the parts I'm saving and the new bottom headset cup and race.
Side View
Crappy detail of some of the seat tube decals and Sturmey 3 speed AW
Crappy detail of the head tube badge and *new* lower headset parts - it's smooooth :)
She declined any repainting or braze-on work because she likes the battered old look it's got now, and I have to agree at least a little.