2009 year end totals

7912 miles
For the record
Commuter bike starting odo: 5818, ending: 7815, total: 1997 commuter miles
Road bike starting odo: 8457, ending: 13791, total: 5334 roadie miles
Fixed gear bike 247 (normal ODO) 234 (garmin) 100 (est unrecorded commuting miles) 581 miles

Disclaimers:
I sometimes ride the commuter as a mountain bike, or on errands, so those miles are not strictly "going to work" miles.
I ride the fixed gear/single speed for fun, and commuting. The light I use interfeared with wireless odometer, so I guessed 100 miles unrecorded. I'm sure there were really more.

I'm a bit disappointed. Had I known I was so close to 8000 I could have made it by just adding a few a day, or taking one good ride. Of course, I find I'm also thinking "Perhaps I really did 180 unrecorded miles on the single speed." But that would be cheating, wouldn't it?

I want this... or this.

Specialized Roubaix Expert Triple 2009


Specialized Roubaix Expert Triple 2010

I know it isn't about the bike. I don't care. Bike lust has no rational component. So here, I publicly announce my bicycle desires. Ever since Tricia got her Ruby I have looked upon it with a greedy eye. It's light, it's pretty, and it seems to work really well. I have therefore determined that a Robaiux would work just fine for me.

Part of it is that, even though I like my Kestrel RT-700 a bunch, I am getting a might older. I'm starting to think a triple might be a good idea. I'm planning to attempt a few really long rides with a bunch of climbing and perhaps some really low gears will make it more likely that I finish.

The Specialized Roubaix Expert has an all-Ultegra drive train and seems like a reasonable level to shoot for. I'd take an 09 or 10, new or used. I'm picky about the color — black white or black gray, and I need a 52 cm version.

If you know of a great deal on this bike, new or used, please post a reply or email me!

Winter Solstice lights

Here on the west coast in California the 2009 Winter Solstice will occur at 9:47 a.m. on Monday, December 21, 2009. Even though that's the shortest day the sunrise will get later and later here until about Jan 7. The good news is that sunset is already getting later.

In any event, we are ready for Solstice with celebratory lights on the commuter bikes. Here's Tricia with hers.

Now famous in the USA too

Our Adventure Cycling 2010 tour catalog came in the mail. I knew they were using a couple of photos, but I didn't know exactly how. I was excited to see Tricia on the back cover, looking all tough and fine. The inside photo of me might not have the marketing appeal they were hoping for , but I'm still happy to have them use it.

Almost famous in Europe

I recently got email from the German "Endorphinum" magazine asking if they could use a photo they saw on my Flickr page. "Sure" I wrote back. It seems they actually did it! I'm on page 30 and 31 of the 9/12 issue (zipped PDF).

Velo Wonderland and Art Murmur

Velo Wonderland was a wonderful cycling event put on by EBBC at — of all places — the Uptown Body and Fender shop, that in addition to being a body shop is also a very nice art and preformance space. It was part of Oakland's Art Murmur first Friday art walk. I have no idea why it exists, or what it all means, but it is without doubt way cool. The Velo Wonderland part had handmade cycling clothes, bicycle arts and such, as well as indoor bike parking. The Art Murmur part included lots of open studio and gallery events complete with a blocked off street, wild projected videos, and all sorts of fun. We walked about and basked in the glow of creative people making fun stuff without boundaries. Coming from the distant burbs I was amazed to see so many bicycles. We kept thinking we must live in the wrong place.