The final week before the big ride

In preparation for the big ride this weekend, I finally took my bike in for a tune-up (and then some). I ride my bike quite a bit, especially with my regular commute to work so I got the fancier tune-up. Plus my pedals were falling apart, and my tires were drying up a bit, and I wanted extensions to my handlebars... the new tires (being smaller) needed new innertubes and so on. When all was said and done, the price of the tune-up and upgrades actually came close to the cost of my bike when it was new. Shit. Granted, all the pieces replaced will be good for several years and the tune-up is a yearly thing, but shit. shit shit shit.

Okay, after the realization that the upgrades, replacements and tune-up were going to be expensive, the bike does ride much better. My brakes work like a charm, the chain doesn't jump off when I shift to '3' and the skinnier tires require less effort to pedal (although they do require more effort to keep balance).

It looks like the rain of May has passed. We are now in June and every day of the weather forecast does not show impending thunderstorms. Just every third day. AND... it looks like the weather will cooperate for the bike ride itself!

After writing all of this, I actually did not ride my bike to work today. No matter how hard I tried, I could not get out of bed. Perhaps tomorrow.