joyride

Facebook is a killer. A killer of blogging. I'm on there talking to friends old and new so much that I've pretty much abandoned old Purly V. I was thinking of shutting it down, but decided there's no harm in leaving it up, and then I made a pact with my buddy Lilia that we'd resurrect our blogs by posting once a month. The advantage that blogs have over Facebook is that you can get more in-depth with whatever it is you want to say. In a sense, that's also the disadvantage, because while Facebook lets you fire off a line or two and move on, blogging comes with the sense that more needs to be done. More words, more pictures, more -- more. Maybe it's just me. And I really shouldn't go forgetting that because blogs are public, I've met some wonderful strangers who have become friends here, including Lilia. There's a lot to be said for that.

Since I owe a post for November, I'll share what's on my mind on this last day, which is, in addition to finding a full-time job and taking a walk, riding my new-to-me bicycles. I've wanted a bike since someone stole all but the front tire of my Specialized Crossroads from behind my apartment building in L.A. back in 2002 (I'm getting misty just thinking about it). A month ago I bought a really nice 1990s Trek road bike from a friend. She was kind enough to sell it to me for a song. It's in great condition, so much so that one of the guys at the bike shop where I had it looked over wants to buy it from me (alas, the answer is no) and Schmin wants it too (maybe someday). Still, it's a road bike, which is a very specific kind of bike, and not, for me, the kind to tool around town carrying library books and groceries and just ... tooling around town. Having that bike only made me want to tool more, so after riding it once, off to Craigslist I went to see what bike bargains could be had there. For more than a song but, with Schmin's help, not more than I could pony up, I found a (2006, from what I can gather online) Cannondale Adventure 400. The split second I laid eyes on it, I knew we were in for a love affair. I bought it, had a rear rack installed, bought lights and a market bag, and have been riding in bliss ever since. The Trek I'm going to use for touring; the Cannondale for commuting, shopping, and good old-fashioned fun. So far, the best thing about having two bikes is that I can ride with visitors. Schmin was here for Thanksgiving, and we took a midnight ride around my neighborhood Sunday night. He rode the Trek, of course. It was fun on top of fun. We raced each other (not much of a contest, he's 25, male, in great shape, and was on a road bike), took pictures, and tried to see if one of those electronic road signs that display car speed would register our bike speeds (it did). I've loved bikes since my grandfather taught me to ride without training wheels, and owning even one good bike, not to mention two, is a dream come true.

Here are a few more shots from The Midnight Ride of Schmin & Schmin.