So yesterday I found a NOS [New Old Stock] Scott AT-2 bar and swapped out my beloved Nitto riser bar. So far, very different and very nice [in an improved sorta way!].
Bike feels lighter, snappier... as the engine/passenger, I am a touch more bent over [feels good actually with some of the xtra-me that I've lost], oddly though... I feel really exposed. Exposed in a... well, I'm not sure kinda way. All I can figure is, with the old setup-the width & height of the bars and bar ends made me feel [without me knowing it at the time] like I had more of the bike in front and beside me. Now it feels like everything is, in fact, proportionate, but in theory [until I become used to it]... disproportionate. Jesus, does that make any sense? It's really a feeling more than much else.
I even got fancy and ordered some Brooks leather bar tape for them [it'll be here Monday]. I think this setup will become a 'keeper'... in the meantime, I was so low on bar tape I had to splice some together w/electrical tape from odd & ends of black cork tape in my toolbox.
Ghetto Fabulous-style.
I had Amy ride it to try it out... now SHE wants the same setup. Man, what is it with her anyway? She's always aping my ass with this bike shit.
Also I, somehow, got talked into becoming the designated Piccolo-Puller. Not sure how this happened: one minute Amy seemed happy and into the title... and the next, she's yapping about "Riding solo feels really great, wow I feel so strong" and shit like that. Yeah, whatever. Actually, it's my turn in all fairness [Amy has pulled Chloe for nearly 2 years without so much as a word of complaint] and second, I gotta admit it's fun! I feel like it's not only the fair thing to do but it's hilarious [and occasionally maddening] hearing Chloe's non-stop chatter about everything to everything *before pulling her-I would just ride away and leave them back there to chat when things became too chatteresque*.
Once I got notice that my riding-solo days were numbered I decided Chloe's Piccolo needed some new bling, so I threw on a new Brooks Conquest saddle with springs & rail color of Chloe's choosing:
She loves the saddle!!
Summers End:
So here we are at 9/1/06 and even though it isn't technically the end of Summer, to those of us that-in some small way-disliked school as kids... it is.
So for my End O' Summer Recap here are the numbers:
June:
30 days long.
Rode 27 of those days.
July:
31 days long.
Rode 29 of those days.
August:
31 days long.
Rode 28 of those days.
Totals:
Rode 84 days.
839 miles.
Longest ride was 19.76 miles [without stopping/resting].
Shortest ride was 5.10 miles [huge monsoon downpour w/zero visibility].
Average ride was 10.21 miles.
36.9 pounds of "Me" lost from June 1 to August 10 [my last weigh in].
Urinated on one delivery automobile.
Got hit in head with one 2-liter Coke bottle [3 quarters filled].
10000000% Pure Joy!!!
Those are some great stats, man. Keep it up!
Posted by: Paul | September 01, 2006 at 07:57 AM