Once again, I am caught up on transcribing my pen and paper introspection to the Nth degree ramblings. Is this going to turn into a regularly recurring cycle?

Summary of this weekend so far.

Saturday morning, I decided emphatically that I did not want this to be a sit on my ass and do nothing weekend. The depressing thoughts of the day before, extensively chronicled, had faded, but the surest way to bring them back would be to sit in my little cage waiting for things to happen.

So I brainstormed, and filled an entire notebook page with possible activities, each with its own potential benefits. With this, I became conscious of an entire world of avenues I might pursue. I narrowed the list down to a few things I decided that were most important.

I spent a couple hours straightening the piles of junk that had somehow accumulated in my room. That helped me feel much better about that.

For the afternoon, I set out on foot and paid a visit to Bicycle Village, where I examined their inventory and test drove a couple of models. I wasn't certain whether I would want to purchase anything yet, but had come armed with the means to do so if the right deal could be found.

I confined myself to the section of models that had significant markdowns, which fell within my budgetary range. The first one I tried was nice. (Pretty much everything they had was light years ahead of the last bike I owned during my early teen years.) I didn't like the fact that even in its highest gear, I could easily pedal across the parking lot at a not-so-high speed. I like my high gears high for super speed runs, and low gears low for going up the occassional steep hill.

The second one I tried had a price tag $80 higher than the first. But I liked it a LOT better. The seat was more comfortable. The gear shifting was easier and more precise. It's highest gear was sufficiently high that my legs could barely make it move while riding around at parking lot speeds. Both the highest and lowest gears on the rear end were significantly offset from the rest; clearly they were there for exactly the extreme conditions I wanted to be prepared for. Plus, it was a brand that bouncing had spoken highly of during our bicycle discussion while I was in Illinois.

I decided to buy on the spot, because I liked the bike, I liked the store, and I liked the fact that the sales people were very helpful, but never pushy. (Why can't car dealerships be like this?)

Trek something-or-other (I forget the model number). MSRP: $450. Bicycle Village standard price: $350. Markdown price (plus taxes and a few accessories): $280. I think I got my money's worth.

They also provide free yearly tune-ups as long as I own the bike, and the first time the chain alignment moves off, they'll adjust it for no charge (they said the cables will normally tighten as the bike gets broken in, so I should expect to need it after riding for a while).

I intend to use this bike both for recreation, and as a part time substitute for short trips around town. A dozen tank-fulls of gas at current prices, and this thing will have paid for itself.

My spirits lifted as I spent the afternoon riding around, I called mom and offered to take her out do dinner for belated Mother's Day. She accepted, and we went to PF Chang's.

While we were waiting, I bought an overpriced fantasy book from a local author who was in the Borders store, as previously documented.

I ordered lo mein. Feeling hungry from all the riding, I splurged and asked them to make it a "combo plate" (which means that instead of choosing between chicken, beef, pork, or shimp, they put some of every type of meat in it). I may be gradually leaning toward the path of becoming a health nut, but I refuse at this stage to deny my carnivorous impulses.

After eating, mom wanted ice cream, so we wandered over to the ice cream store. (She paid for that part.) I ordered a small. Though the ice cream was very good, I regretted the fact that I had ordered any at all, as it moved me out of the "comfortably full" category, and into the "uncomfortably stuffed" category.

This morning, I rode over to the farmer's market, and bought some delicious spinach and tomatoes. The prices there were a fair bit higher than the grocery store, but I guess farmers have to make a living somehow, and the stuff is good. I am consuming bits of spinach at this very moment.

Now I am torn between the urge to go back out and explore more of the city's bike paths, and the desire to set down a few more of my thoughts in another rambling. I think I shall do the latter, but briefly.

Back in a flash.