ghotifish.net

This past week I finally took the plunge back into biking to work, assisted by some new clothing (lessons learned: SmartWool isn’t worth the premium over REI socks; don’t be picky about what you use to cover your face) and Eden’s campus-navigating skills. I immediately rediscovered my theory, oft-thought but never articulated, that no bike ride is ever a bad idea. I have been on many rides, and not once have I ever dismounted and thought “ugh, that was stupid.” This list now includes a handful of trips in 10 – 30 degree weather.

The venerable Gmaps Pedometer, which has made quite a few improvements since my last visit, puts the ride to the new work location at 7.5 miles, which is almost humorously short comparend to the old route. An unwarranted sense of competition and pride compels me to point out that I put far more clicks into my route than did D.

And speaking of saddles, I had the recent realization that the vinyl-and-plastic “Brooks” currently attached to Jaques (le Peugeot sportif) is either 1) a cheap, mass-produced, market-share-grabbing ploy that Brooks had no business making, or 2) not a Brooks at all. This realization was so shocking and sudden that I actually looked around to see if anyone noticed. I’m guessing #2 is the most likely. Either way, I’m concerned that I may have offended Jaques’ refined Gallic sensibilities (not to mention my own ischial tuberosities) and that something a bit more comfy and/or stylish is in order. I think that Jaques secretly wants me to get a genuine Brooks. I also think that I am projecting my own desires onto a personified bicycle. Creepy.

Good lord… these are the kind of bikes that make me check the limit on my credit card:

http://www.vanillabicycles.com

I’d link to favorites, but their site is very scripty/framey… plus I’m too busy drooling.

EDIT: Found a link to the one I’m going to call my favorite. Too bad the picture isn’t bigger.

Thanks to Johnny for the tip. I wonder if he’s done any favors for them?

This is a pretty cool idea:

… they replaced the medieval world of Forgotten Realms with the modern world of a small American city called Harperville, and transformed the rogues, wizards, and barbarians into news editors, reporters, and other modern characters.

In the modified game, the student plays the role of a rookie reporter at the Harperville Gazette.

I wonder what (un)lucky grad students got to write the mod.