A quick fix

After the reanimation of L's old Gitane mixte, I rode it yesterday to the parent-teacher conference. The BB was loose as a goose by the time I got home. Adjusted it. Rode it for a quick spin up the hill to some secret dirt today, and it was tight as a _________ (help me out here), and just as sweet. The 40/14 was a change. Climbing the gentle grades was perfect. It's just the right gear for me to feel really on, just the right amount of power required to feel it, not too much. Like Goldilocks. The steeper stuff blew, what with the flex inherent in a too-small 1970s inexpensive unisex (Hey! men ride them in Europe) bicycle coupled with the mutant 250mm 1" stem and wiiiide WTB dirt drops (OG, too.)- but, the steeper stuff is gonna blow regardless of the gear, so I'm golden. Getting off and shuffling along is not hurting my pride. The 700/37 Paselas run at maybe 70psi added their proven touch of cushy goodness, but the forgotten gem...The Brooks B66(6)...Wow. I'd forgotten how sprung-what?sprung this thing is. Riding the Peugot was an exercise in delicacy from day one due to the crappy 7/8" pipe. No longer. The Reanimator was rock steady and smoooooth. Wow. I am stoked on this "new" rig. It's got possibilities, man. I am stating for certain here and now: If I don't break this between now and then, look for this bike at CCCX 2008 Cross Races near you. And I do mean "look out", cuz I'll have a hard time stopping or turning real sharp.

So there's that. I had the B66 from then, were I to purchase something along those (effing smooth- serious comparison to full suspension in both feel and weight penalty) lines now, I'd opt for theB67, which has the same ass lovin dimensions without the unnecessary 2nd rail. Save quite a bit of weight, too. Perfect for any Big Dummy build. Which, by the way, I got screwed out of (again). I've had that thing on Itemwatch on and off (mostly on) since it was offered there, and it popped up at night as available, only to be sold out the next day upon order attempt. And that's the 22" frame! WTF?!? I'm sour, Surly. Qbp may be the Borg.

Leo needs a new pair of shoes.

Finally, as per conference discussion I went over division of improper fractions with N tonight. Again. She has the lousiest work ethic I've ever seen. She's a smart kid. She doesn't put that into her work. Whatever work. Anything, at all. Even things she enjoys, she'll skate through. It is maddening for me. I want so much for her to grow into a kind, considerate, capable person- I see real potential for her to attempt to squeak by on looks and charm. And truth be told, she ain't that charming unless she's getting her way. Lots of whining, quick with the complaints. How to get her eyes open?
Anything worthwhile takes effort. Real, sometimes even painful, EFFORT. This plays out on rides, too. Bitch about the distance, or sand, or climbing, or blueness of the sky...then say what fun it was when it's done. Don't misunderstand, I know all about only enjoying a ride once it's over. All about it. (B___, thinking about the later sections of 35 here) N just seems incapable of connecting the overall worth of suffering. This won't be the last she hears of it, nor the last ride out upon which she's dragged. Though, I do try to balance that...within the scope of my own obsession. I witnessed too many parents in Telluride push skiing on their kids. What's not to LOVE about skiing? But sure enough, by the time they were 11-12, and they were phenomenal/sick/intuitive skiers, the kids refused to ski. They hated skiing...

Any ideas?


And, plus. Big Ride plans brewing for Sunday,Sunday, Sunday.