Out with the Old Awesome, In with the New Awesome

Awesome Thursday
How many bikes is the right number of bikes to own? 

Just one more!  One of my bike boyfriends, Steve-Oh, found me an adorable little Cannondale touring bike on trade in at Bike World.  He's tricking it out for me on a series of Cannondates, where I provide the beer and pizza and Steve-Oh provides the know-how and stuff from his overflowing gear closet. 

Cannondate!

New bike that will let me enter the Buffalo Renegade 105 gravel race this month?  14 (with an additional 7 points when I pay for it).

The Cannondate had to stay at Steve-Oh's house, so I got to ride Safety Bike home.

I heart Safety Bike.

Riding bad-ass Safety Bike 8 awesomeness points. 

Awesome Friday
Thursday night my friend Lexi helped me clean out my closet.  Which, turns out, wasn't that hard, because all my clothes we're either holey, stained, ill-fitting, or purchased second hand.  I cleaned 4 bags of clothing out of my closet. 

That night, Lexi and I decided to go for a bike ride.  I took Safety Bike because I had it and it looked like rain.  It did rain, a lot.  Wet corduroy shorts, not awesome.

We ended up getting pinned down by the rain, and drinking way too much tasty beer, but we made a new friend, who also likes to ride bikes. 

Go by bike!

Riding bikes to happy hour: 3 awesomeness points.

Drinking too much IPA: -167 awesomeness points.

Later, on the ride home, I managed to break the chain of Safety Bike.  Getting really stressed while my boyfriend fixes said chain on the street?  -154 awesomeness points. 

Awesome Saturday 
Saturday night, after working at Back Country, was my follow up Cannondate with Steve-Oh.  While we were working on bikes, (he was working, I was sitting around), his friend called and offered to give him a TV.  The girlfriend of the guy offering up the TV is looking for a road bike and she's 5'4. 

Oh, the heartbreaker.

Hesitantly, I offered to possibly, maybe sell my white Trek.  She was interested.  We exchanged numbers.  I really don't want to sell the Trek.  It has a special place in my heart.  And look at those sweet rims!  I'd rather just let it hang out in the basement, just in case. 

But, the Tiger says, and he is right, that I don't ride it.  And, when I do, I am mad at it, so like those ill-fitting pants, it should probably go.  I had to leave an open spot in the garage, but when you make room in your garage and your closet, you open up space for the new and unknown, right? 

Maybe she won't want to buy it...

Arranging to possibly sell the Heartbreaker to a new loving home?  8 awesomeness points.

Awesome Sunday 
On Sunday, we got up late, did some housework, then rode our bikes to Valley Junction.  I rode my fast bike nice and slow, which was fun, and experienced a new trail.  We got to listen to the $nack$, my favorite band, and we saw the Tiger's arch-nemesis, Pat Mustard. 

The Tiger and I raced from Polk Boulevard to the Library.  The winner had to buy the beer.  Even though he insisted on an LHT head start, I thought I could take him.  Turns, out, nope.  He caught me with 10 yards to go.  That will teach me to give up before the finish line!  

That night we went home and had a barbeque and campfire with my siblings and Steve-Oh, which was nice and relaxing. 

Just chilling the f out and having fun: 19 awesomeness points. 
Losing to the Tiger in a race: 9 awesomenss points.
Seeing Steve L. at the Library: just totally awesome! 

Awesome Monday 
On Monday, the Tiger arranged to take me on a bike-date.  We rode our bikes to Big Creek State Park.  The best part was, the Tiger loaded up his LHT with all the picnic stuff, and I got to ride my speedy bike.  The Neil Smith trail has some nice hills, and I have to say, Monday wasn't my fastest day on the bike, but it was the day I felt the best. 

I convinced the Tiger it would be super-bagger-core to ride with no shirt on. 

We hung out on the beach, and the Tiger made cheese burgers (he brought charcoal!  what a bagger).  On the ride home, we stopped at the bar at the Saylorville Marina and had a few cocktails.  Then we went home and had grilled vegetables and turkey sausages.  It was the perfect date. 

48 mile ride + chillaxing with my sweetie?  189 awesomeness points.

Awesome Tuesday
I had a meeting in Ankeny on Tuesday, so after Ed's House of Pain and walking the dog, I loaded up my back pack and rode to Ankeny.  It was a super windy day, but I had a fun ride along the river.  And it felt great to be "riding my bike to work." 

When I got there, I noticed my rear tire had a weird goose egg.  On the way home, I stopped at Kyle's Bikes.  Turns out, I broke the wire bead on the tire, bummer.  But, I got a new tire and a cool little re-chargable light for my fun bike. 

Then, I rode home, via the chiropractor, who said he was happy I was feeling good enough to ride bikes. 

Tuesday night we grabbed a posse of new-to-bicycling recruits (Easy-E, her friend Megan, and Pete) and rode to the Cumming Tap for tacos.  It was a fun ride, and Megan impressed everyone by riding the whole way, at a decide clip, on an old Schwinn cruiser. 

27 mile ride to Ankeny and back = 35 awesomeness points.
Buying a light for safety = 3 awesomeness points.
29 mile ride to Cumming and back = 42 awesomeness points. 
Not weeping openly Wednesday morning when we had to run 5 * 300 meter "shuttles"?  92 awesomeness points.