Today on this ol' server

squishy grip tape

Went cycling Wednesday night. Twas beautiful. The city lights against the clear and cold black sky was breathtaking.

I just got my baby back from the shop Mt Tam Bikes. The bike's a older steel '01 Bianchi Veloce with full campy--veloce triple for those Bay Area hills, now with extra squishy Cinelli white gel grip tape. The shop is run by some friends of mine I went to school with. After new tape, new cable housing, and some derailer adjustment the drive train was as smooth as glass. Shear joy, woosh.

The new grip tape is amazing. It's almost too plush. It's so squishy. Being too plush is a very good quality in a foam derived product, after miles of abuse (rain, hills, jumping railroad tracks, and bridge seams) I'm sure it will get very compacted.

I'm spoiled my partner had some 'puter work he was doing for some friends of ours in San Rafael that night. So I said hey why don't I just ride while you're working... I'll be the carpool dummie, drop me off in San Rafael and we can meet in Sausalito. He gets to work on windows, while I get to ride. Ahah. I'd ride from San Rafael to the Golden Gate Bridge, and then double back to Saus for some Indian food. Didn't plan on it being the coldest damn day of the year.

I took mostly local streets. Started by the old yardbirds buiding on 4th Street, and when through San Anselmo on Sir Francis Drake, on to Kenfield (College ave), Larkspur (Magnolia ave), then over Camino Alto to and through Mill Valley. On Almonte crossed over to the bike path and on through Sausalito on bridge way to Alexander, to the toll plaza, and back to Calidonia st.

The new tape held and happy drive train held true. Damn it was fast. I maxed out at 48.5 mph downhill on what I guess what's now called Sausalito lateral road according to Google maps. Not bad for winter sloth.

I have a new headlight so I can actually ride on Camino Alto at night. Of course during the two or so turns uphill, I was going, please don't eat me mountain lions.

Maybe I should get a Tron outfit like the one that the gumballers used a while back. Then people would really see me. I've haven't had to many close calls in the north bay, but the south bay really scares me. Heard too many horror stories of how most of the people in the Sanford ER are from bike accidents. Who knows maybe I just haven't given the South Bay enough time.

yumm. mountain lion snacks. nevermind. No Portola at night. Sigh.

I missed Indian food by about 30 minutes, we usually meet at Sartaj or Avatars, great local Indian, but that night I didn't finish riding till just after 10pm, had to resort to In and out, as everthing decent was closed.

Oh, well the city was gorgeous, the ride was cold, but fun, and the drive back, well The Prodigy kept me awake.

Posted at 12:25AM Jan 12, 2007 by saf in Personal  |  Comments[0]