riding with dogs

I was out running some errands yesterday and I stopped by Norris bicycles yesterday to talk to Dave some more about Melinda's restoration project. I totally meant to snap a picture before he got started on it but left the camera at home. CRAP! While I was there discussing color options I asked him if he ever ran across any old steel CX frames. I've been wanting a Surly CrossCheck for a while but just don't have the $$$ to throw down on the cost of a new frame. Dave said yeah he had an old Schwinn CrissCross which I found out later is actually more of a hybrid than a CX bike but in all reality has a ton of options. Ever since we started the restoration project for Melinda the wheels in my head have been turning. With access to a bead blaster machine I could strip the paint of the CrissCross and have Dave paint it any color I wanted. It sounded like a cool idea and he was only asking $60 for the frame so what the heck I went for it. What I really want is a steel commuter and I've enjoyed my Masi CXR as my main commuter for some time. My only problem is how well will this CrissCross perform on race day??? I don't have the components to build this bike and keep the CXR complete as I'll have to rob it to build up the CrissCross. Oh well cyclocross season is quite few months away I've got plenty of time to figure that out or save up to have 2 complete bikes.

I told myself this week I was going to drive my truck as little as possible with gas prices so ridiculous plus it's better for the environment and my fitness level for me to ride my bike around town. Well that hasn't gone as planned so far. We drove that stinking gas hog everywhere this weekend and I ran all over the place yesterday in it. I kinda had to because of all the stuff I had to pick up like mulch and straw for the yard. That would be kinda difficult on a bike even if I had a trailer. So today I going to ride everywhere possible. I wish this town was more bike friendly like some. I feel like the only people out riding their bikes in Kingsport are me and the people who can't afford a car. Maybe because everyone else is at work. I wonder if all the fat a$$es who are sitting in their big SUV's smoking cigarettes staring at me thinking "That poor kid can't afford a nice big car like me, ha ha ha whoops I almost missed the Pal's drive thru." Sorry fat America I couldn't help myself, go ride a bike!

Later