Avocet O2

Avocet 02, I sure do love you
You calmed all of my saddle fears
You're wide in the right spots
And narrow where I'm not
Together we ride new frontiers.

Avocet O2, to you I am true
There's more to you than what appears
Your fine leather sails me
Titanium rails mean
For ride comfort you have no peers.

Avocet 02, without you I'm blue
You've cushioned my tush for ten years
And tho you are weary
My backside's been cheery
If it could, it would give you three cheers!

- The we're growing Old together Bag

Stella

If you didn't know her, you'd call her an old cuss.

She's been around the block, Stella has, and she loves the animated conversation that arises from sharing tales with someone else who has a few gashes and scuff marks like hers.

Yeah, THIS one? Know that uphill rock garden in the north loop at Wirth? Man, 3/4 of the way up every time....

Remember that tree across the Ojibwe? Caught the front derailleur....

This one -- car rack -- can you even believe....

Well, there's a new horse in the stable. He's a bit pretty, and you know how those pretty types can be. Underneath they're nice enough, but hanging out with one means restraining the foot-tapping while they learn the ins-and-outs and get their first bruises. Just like that uptight cousin from the right side of the tracks, this one will soon realize that mud and sticks are good for the soul.

In the meantime, he's wearing red. Bright red. Candy red. Smooth, melted, shiny, red hot, run-your-hand-along-my-toptube-and-feel-the-gliiiide red, with a...get this...WHITE fork.

PAINT...on a mountain bike? Please.

She sighed as she was loaded into the back of the wagon first, leaving the good spot for the newbie.

Here we go again.

On the trail, though, he took the downed trees in stride and hit the rock garden in fine shape the first time over.

Thank GOD he's not a namby-pamby....

The first paint scratch was pretty mild so it didn't hurt too badly, but she knows that first saddle biff will come, that decal scrape, the gummed-up cable housing, first paint chip, and she'll be there with the tough love.

Get your arse back out there, it happens to all of us, get over it, we'll talk about it later over a few beers.

She's seen it before.

- OB and no, the new one isn't mine, it's The Sweetie's

MIA

still alive
still kicking
and screaming

hit the ground running after the MI bicycle ride in August
back to work before most
some of it paid
some of it not paid
labor of love??

two parent info nights this week
what, now it's 24/7?

now back in evening classes until mid-December
reading research and opining about theory
but in secret I'm scouring the MTBR forums

still commuting
still grocery-getting
still breakfasting and riding
still fall mountain biking
still thinking about a new 29er hardtail

after 13 years in the same Honda
now a new used vehicle for hauling my pretties to new trails


- OB and up past my bedtime!