You know what gets my goat? When the bike tire is rubbing on the brake. Didn't have time to deal with it this afternoon so I just rode home. It was raining steadily so I brought out the rain cape for the first time in several months. It looked like a homeless person had been using it as a bed sheet. The rain was going south and I was going north so it was over in a couple of miles.

Beans and ice cream combo last night made for gaseous ride in. Now worsened by the fact that I forgot to pack underwear so I'm going commando.

Rolled the dice and left my rain gear at home for the commute to work. Needed space in the panniers for the vat of Pad Thai tofu I had made for my meals at work this week. Listened to Skeletonwitch on the way in. Their utter pointlessness was somewhat mitigated when they drowned out whatever some idiot was screaming at me from the sidewalk. Slipped the Cortina in the highest gear and made it down the hill on S Archer at 27.5 mph.

Work was the same grind, livened up somewhat by a hilariously intense argument I got into with my co-worker (Lee) about the relative greatness of Michael Jackson. I maintained that he had a few songs that were cool when I was growing up but everything after Thriller was horrific. This guy (21 yr old) found my opinion unfathomable. He kept saying, "But he did the Thriller". Apparently in high school Lee had reenacted Thriller (the song) for a talent show. His friends were the zombies. We asked another guy Lee's age who was picking up his Adderall to weigh in. This guy took Lee's side. Later I mentioned that by 1986 the only Jackson anyone cared about was Janet. Lee had never heard of "Control" and he was incredulous when I mentioned that it sold 14 million copies.

Ride home was cool. One of the panniers kept getting sucked into the spokes though because it was too empty without the Pad Thai. Started raining about 5 minutes away from home but it cleared up soon afterward. I couldn't help but worry about my strawberry plants as I rolled up. They are fighting some fungus and getting wet at night only makes it worse. Sometimes I wonder how people were ever able to survive because gardening is a bitch.

Did my 2 mile x 4 loop. I didn't go absolutely apeshit with my effort but it was respectable. Still not noticing a big difference with the Sempre. I weighed it and it is 2-3 lbs lighter than the Imola. I expected there to be more of a difference but I think weight is a little overrated anyway. I experimented with different riding positions trying to find the right balance between aerodynamics, power and comfort. I enjoyed the ride though. It's interesting the last quarter of a mile I stand up out of the saddle and switch to a harder gear. My heart rate hits around it's max, my whole chest feels weird and I get light headed. I kind of don't want to push it harder than that because if I pass out going at that speed it's game over. So I kind of explore the boundaries of what I can do with a modicum of safety.

Rode over to Bikes and More to have them check out the Sempre. Brian (big friendly mechanic with the beard) adjusted a cable so it would ride a little smoother in the smaller chain rings. He also tilted the seat forward a click to maybe help with the rough time my ass is having. Talked to Paul about ordering the power meter. Maybe I'm an idiot but the variability of cycling really annoys me (wind, hills, traffic). I didn't see the Imola anywhere so as an afterthought I asked how it was doing. Paul said it sold 2 days after it was put on consignment to some Bianchi enthusiast. Talk about burying the lead.

So there is no going back now. Like Hall and Oates sang the Imola's gone and I better learn how to face it.

After riding Gainesville Hawthorne trail I rode with Virginia to Leonardo's 706 brunch. It had been an every other Sunday tradition for us, but we hadn't gone in over 2 months. V is crossing the Gateway of Doom in the pic above. The sign on the right says to walk the bike across due to being at the bottom of hills on either side with terrible visibility. One day another biker will be flying in the opposite direction and I will have to go Leonard Smalls on the situation and pull out a hand grenade.

The food was awesome by the way.

We should form a band called Bikes In Heaven just so we could use this photo for our album cover. Of course there are no bikes in the picture, but they are obviously implied. It would be a prog-metal concept album about biking on the Gainesville-Hawthorne trail. There would be a 13 minute song suite about the solar toilet alone.

So we biked the trail. The first of many cold mornings on the G-H trail. At least I was better prepared than last year. Rode slower than usual, taking a moral victory in just being out there at 8AM in 42 degree weather. After generously lubricating my ass this morning, it was a little less sore than yesterday.

It was cool just dicking around biking down the connector trail that goes all the way from G-H trail to 6th st and checking out the progress on Sakara Sweets.

Well, biking has officially gone from sick ass to suck ass. Just did the 29 mile Racetrack loop in a glacially slow 1:41. I'm not happy with the Sempre at the moment. At one point I ran over some mini speed bumps out in the middle of nowhere and it felt like the road was using my balls as a punching bag. Plus the seat really started gnawing into my asshole over the course of the ride. I would try to shift around and the crotch of my bike shorts would get shoe horned on to the front of the seat. Side note these shorts are annoying as hell. Bikes and More started carrying them in place of the Canari's but these mother flippers have been ill fitting from the get go.

All of this would have been easier to stomach if I wasn't going slow as crap.

It was totally dead at work today (Friday, I'm posting after midnight-"Posting After Midnight"- great Judas Priest song btw) which was amazing and wonderful. I stopped off at Sweet Dreams on the ride home. The staff sized me up and recommended the Honey Cinnamon in a waffle cone. I ate it while riding home. I stopped in front of Westside Park to finish the last bite. A large roach, realizing I had the good stuff scurried towards me. It started raining pretty steadily about 1/4 from home but it was fine.

Gloomy ride to work. Overcast and windy. To celebrate Black Friday I made a Norwegian black metal station on Pandora to listen to while biking. It was interesting for about 10 seconds.

Thanksgiving morning. Went out to ride the Sempre on the 13.5 mile Millhopper route. I start at the corner of 43rd and 53rd by the Publix and head straight down Millhopper road passed I-75 until it dead ends then head back to the starting point. There were a lot of bikers, joggers and walkers taking advantage of the lack of cars on a holiday. I looked for some "lazy sunbathers" that Morrissey sings about but couldn't find any.

Anyway, I wasn't sure what to expect. Would I blitz my record time of 40:27 on this new bike? Lately I have been doing the course around 42:00 on the Imola. I hit the stop watch and started pedaling. The seat is harder on this bike but I got used to it during the ride. The bike itself is pretty smooth. It was around 50 degrees so I was wearing an extra layer along with the lobster paws gloves. I finished the ride at 42:07 so that was a little disappointing, basically the same speed as the Imola. There was absolutely no wind so I can't say that affected anything.

I may just need to ride it more . It is kind of weird. You would think that a bike that was almost twice as expensive as the Imola would show more of an immediate improvement in performance. Maybe I was just slow as hell today and the awesomeness of the bike was masking my personal deficiencies. I'll give it another shot later.

Just rode around my neighborhood on the Sempre. Met a dude with the funked up bike from Holland of all places.

Filmed part of the route I use when I ride my 2 mile "speed" intervals. It's in a neighborhood off of 39th Ave. The road connects 39th Ave to 53rd Ave and is a mile long.

Left work on the Sempre and road over to Bikes and More to get the front rim liner replaced with adhesive tape. It's amazing to me that the bike store has 2 to 3 times as many employees at any given time than I have to run my pharmacy. While Dave was working on the tire I reattached my bike computer to the frame. Somehow they let a retard like me stand in the mechanic's workspace without telling me I was violating 9 safety codes. So now the bike rims are fortified, the computer is functioning and my emergency tire pack is restocked. I have tomorrow off. I plan on going on a longer ride and we'll see what's up with this new bike.

Of interest, there are only 2 main gears. The Imola had 3 which was a pain because the smallest gear was useless and occasionally the bike would slip into it and I'd be like a hamster on an exercise wheel, spinning like crazy and going nowhere. Also there is no indication of what gear I am in unless I actually look at the chain ring. The only brakes are in front of the hoods. On the Imola there were also a set in front of the handlebars by the stem which was a more relaxing position if I was just taking it easy.

Saw the Imola outside B&M chained up with the other sale bikes. No price tag though. Not sure why not.


Later Virginia and I biked on the Cortinas down to the Top. I had the tofu tacos, Plantain chips with dip and a Rum Runner. I needed to take the edge off the news that corporate was cutting my staff''s hours again. We have this pretty sweet route to get downtown. It avoids most major roads. It includes lots of cats, the occasional bat and I house that blasts gospel music 24 hours a day.

Kind of rough morning. Did ride the new Sempre in to work though. Took it slow. Seemed pretty alright. Saw some of my route regulars: man and kid on joined bikes, small kid walking with huge backpack and biking Hispanic lady (BHL).

It was with a heavy heart that I went over to Gator Cycle today after work. After the flat tire debacle yesterday with the new Sempre I needed a new back up tube for my emergency pack before I could try out my new bike. Despite a heretofore unwavering loyalty to Bikes and More, they were simply to far away for me to bike there and back home and have enough time to ride before it was dark. I bought the tube and headed home. It was windy and overcast. It was already getting dark at 4:20. Ridiculous. The wind was making it snow leaves all around which always looks cool. Anyway got home and discovered the tire I had changed yesterday was now flat as well. I took it over to Bikes and More and the problem was the the stuff supposed to cover the holes of the rim weren't doing that. The tube was getting pinched in the holes and puncturing. They relined the rim with adhesive tape. So I still have not ridden the new bike.

Later Virginia and I rode downtown on the Cortinas to Boca Fiesta. Afterward we peered in the window of where the cupcake place has relocated. Couldn't see much. Next we went to Karma Cream for dessert. I had a chocolate lavender sundae.

I saw the Imola while I was at B&M. It looked really good. They had cleaned it up. I felt sad. Like the bike was thinking that I had rejected it and it would never have let me down like this new bike that can't go 2 seconds without getting a flat. Sigh. Life is complicated enough without me giving inanimate objects thoughts and feelings.

Had to pass a few cyclists this morning. A couple of them were connected to their kids on bikes as well. It's kind of fun darting out into the road and then swerving back on the sidewalk to get around someone.

This morning I accomplished the rare feat of getting from my door to work without stopping for a single light. This has happened only a couple of times and always on a Sunday morning. Once I made it passed University I knew I had a shot at something special. The clincher would be the Archer Rd intersection. I looked up ahead and saw the light was green. I thought there was no way because I was still to far away. It stayed green though so I started pedaling hard. I was about 100 feet away and the light started changing. Instead of giving up I turned right onto Archer rather than going straight down 34th St. There wasn't any traffic behind me because the light was still on the turn arrow portion. I went nuts pedaling hardcore and swerved into the left hand turn lane. No cars were coming the other way so I kept on truckin right into the Walgreens entrance.

Biked home this afternoon to ride the new Sempre before dark. I took it out of the shed marveling at how it was even lighter than the Imola. Pedaling out of the driveway I thought "Man there is a lot of road vibration". I didn't realize what a difference the steel frame on the Imola had made. That's when I realized the back tire was flat. How did that happen? The tube was punctured. Not sure when that occured. I rode it about 30 seconds. Anyway I changed the tire and I'll try again tomorrow. A small consolation I'm a lot better at changing tires. I practiced a little while V was in NYC.

Rode in to work this afternoon. The Gator football game was in progress so traffic was lighter than usual. I felt pretty joyless for some reason. I couldn't even get into feeling melancholy a la Morrissey. Biked over to Michael's craft store before work to pick up some scrapbook supplies. Yes, I am a scrapbooker.

Work was lame so as a pick me up I finally went to Sweet Dreams on the ride home. I had thought about doing this for about a year, but had feared as Chicago frontman Peter Cetera once sang it would become a hard habit to break. I swung in right before close. The staff assessed me and recommended the rum eggnog ice cream. It was pretty great. I finally got to combine the subjects of my previous and current blogs and ate it while biking home. That decision was a game changer and my mood brightened.

Virginia and I rode to breakfast then down the G-H trail to about the fishing bridge. The connector trail between Depot and Waldo is complete and makes for a much smoother route.

The trail was crowded with Boy Scouts, people on horses and random cyclists. My butt was sore from riding yesterday.

This time of year I can ride wearing my work clothes which saves time changing. Rapped this morning with the other bike commuter that works at my store. He was pedaling out(night shift) as I was pedaling in. He wanted to share the glory of his "dry bag" back pack for riding under rainy conditions. I appreciated the sense of camaraderie.

They make pet bike bags and I dream about outfitting Tommy with some kitty goggles and riding around town with him and Viriginia. In reality he would probably have a nervous breakdown. His little heart starts racing when I just carry him into the front yard.

You wanna know the one cool thing about school zones? At 2 stoplights on 34th St I can hit the crosswalk traffic button and when the light changes none of the cars are allowed to do jack shit for like 30 seconds and I get to pedal across with a walk signal. Just because the system is set up to think I'm some little kid going to school instead of some sick ass pharmacist on his way to sell oxycodone.

Looked at odometer, it was at 2222 miles. Got barked at by crossing guard at glen springs elem for ironically not going when it was my turn. The school zone was jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive.

Biked over to Satchel's tonight. Life is better since I mounted the lock on my bike and I don't have to dick around with the panniers when riding around with V. They were always flopping into the spokes when not filled to capacity.

A little chilly. The ride was kind of a boring route. Had to go singe file down the sidewalk on 23rd ave the whole way. Wore my hardcore "miner's hat" light that has more lumens than a supernova.

Good pizza. My throat is still a little sore from the endoscopy last week. We split "Ruth's Ruthless Brownie" for dessert.

Brought a big zip lock bag and a back pack for leftover transportation.

Just back from Bikes and More. Walked in shamelessly wearing a B&M t-shirt. Other Christian called Bianchi and my new bike

Bianchi Sempre http://www.bianchiusa.com/bikes/born-for-performance/sempre/sempre-105/

probably won't be here til mid- December.

Kind of sucks but whatever. I'll keep partying on the Imola. Imola needs a tune up (BTW so does this government- see PE's Your Gonna Get Yours @ 3:20 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYblg4i2HD8)

Epic ride, first to breakfast (Bagels Unlimited is now Bagels and Noodles) then to the H-trail. Rode back on the trail that empties out on 6th and Depot then hung a right onto 6th to get on the commuter trail. Virginia went nuts attacking some hills and off roading when we hit the unfinished '3rd phase' by Univ Ave.

Biked downtown with Virginia to the Top last night for Taco Tuesday. It gets late early these days. 6:00 PM and pitch black. Motorists were cool except for one douche that almost clipped V. Rode back home and later rode to Common Grounds in a light drizzle which was actually nice.

Today getting ready to ride with V to breakfast and then continue on to Hawthorne trail. Should get loco.