Friday, left work a little early and bebopped around a few bike shops seeing what kinds of options were available for used mountain bikes. Didn't have a ton of luck until I got to the last place. It was a bit seedy and sketchy, but they had a good number of bikes available. I saw a few in the €400 range, disc brakes, nice front shock, good trail tires, and I started drooling. With a few options in mind I headed home to contemplate.
That next day, I planned on getting some errands done. But first, it was time for some BREAKFAST. I decided on going the German route, remembering fondly on the great German breakfasts I've had with great people while here. I unfortunately didn't have any company for my culinary endeavor, but after my run I went directly to the baker, got me a roll and a streusel (dayum they're good), then came home and dined like a champ. Breakfast is awesome.
Well, my shirts didn't get altered after I went and tried to get things done because the lady at the only store that was open told me to come back the next week. Then I went home and dicked around a bit while contemplating my bike situation. Yeah, fuck yeah I want an awesome bike. But €400 is a lot of money and little bit non-sensical for something I'll have for a few months and likely sell after I'm done. I wanted it bad though.
After my 2 hour nap, I finally got up and out and headed back to the store. Long story short, I got a feel of the mid-level bikes there, but then after jumping down a level, found a great bike on-par with my bad-boy back home. €200 for the bike (with a good front fork), a lock, and lights. Boom. I GOT WHEELZ.
With my new wheelz, I rode up to practice, had some fun, rode home, ate dinner, then rode over to a WG Party (aka apartment party). Awesome time. Didn't want to go before I left though, another one of those "I'm tired, I could just go to bed" things, but powered through and ended up having a great night. Some flip cup, some boom, met some mountain bikers, found out about a few good trails not 20 minutes out of town, all around awesome. AWWWWWWW YEAAAAAAH.
That next day, another delightful breakfast, another 2 hour nap, and then getting some reading done after playing frisbee golf rounded out my awesome Sunday and weekend.
I'm still waiting on my 2015 bonus to come and (yeah, I was surprised I got one too!!!) I initially planned on putting it all towards my student loans. I did that with my tax refund, and I'm actually making really good progress on all of it. My high-interest one's finna be gone by the end of the year, my small one by mid-way through next year, and then the rest sometime after that. WELL, with this financial diligence, I think I can allow myself a little fun.
With that, I'm debating putting if not all, then a good sum of my bonus to a new bike fund. I think it's about time I upgrade from the bike I've been riding since 2002. It's a great bike, don't get me wrong, but damn I can't wait to get a taste of that sweet, sweet full squish with a drop post and cruising down all the trails I can. My current bike isn't going anywhere though, it'll be my daily rider, so to say. This new guy will be my trail demon. And HOT DAMN I can't wait to fly down some trails with it.
Plus, that'll mean my sabatical to New Zealand will be slowly coming closer together. God I can't wait for that.....
After going to bed at 9pm on Sunday, I woke up about a half hour before my alarm went off on Monday and decided to start the start of my week a little early. Work ended up being ok. I got to drive a few trucks around the test track as we updated to the next level of a part, so I got to make sure everything still worked ok after the transition.
Since I got there early, I got to leave work early, with plenty of time to go home and chill out before my Swing class. With all this extra time, I toyed with and finally made the decision to bike to swing and then directly afterwards to frisbee. Well, not sure why this was a debate, but it was definitely the right choice.
Swing was awesome, a little tiring and really warm (they had the heat way up or something), but really awesome. We practiced the rock and kick steps, and then added a crazy twist step or something. It took a while, but I think I got the hang of it, at least a beginner's hang of it...
From there I rode to frisbee and had a good practice. My defense was pretty shitty, but I'm slowly starting to think I'm molded more for O-line handling. Doesn't mean I can let my defense get worse, but I think I fit better elsewhere. That said, I gotta work on my defense and focus up. No time for slouches.
After frisbee, the ride home was great, and a really good emphasis on the great choice I made with it. I need a bike in my life, and it's awesome that that helped be a bit of a cornerstone on an awesome Monday. Booyah.
Original Publish Date: April 1st, 2016