The Marin was sorely in need of some new handlebars and a new rear wheel.
I ordered some bars from Taiwan ebay 3 weeks ago and they showed up today. They look great!
I got tired of looking for deals on the internet so far as cheap wheels go and dropped into Bicycle Sports today. I left with a Deore disc hub laced to a Sun Rhyno Lite rim... just about what the bike needed and instant gratification is always nice.
Both ways work, no sense being fanatical about only supporting the local places in my experience- they've all given me great deals once or twice and burned me on some other things. However, in the end I do think it's important to make sure they keep on keeping on.
Had a long conversation last night with a friend and was really reminded of why I ride and why I write this blog....
It's all about the escape it provides and I race because the faster I go the further away I get. Too bad Rochester sucks so much, but maybe it will help me get faster too, eh? All I know is that it's amazing how far away from Rochester you get with only an hr or two of riding- it's a different world out there.
Ragnarök 105 2024 Results
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NAME
BIB NUMBER
PLACE
TIME OF DAY FINISHED
Curtis
Rick
239
1
1:09
Molnar
Josh
155
2
1:10
Batko
Charles
180
3
1:13
Giefer
David...
7 months ago
I like Rochester. Why do you think it sucks so much?
ReplyDeleteI could list a lot of reasons-
ReplyDeleteI don't like the political influence my employer wields (maybe I'm a hypocrit for working for em, but I think what I actually do maybe helps the world).
The night life and food options pretty much suck. I'm probably spoiled, but the "best of rochester" list when it comes to that stuff is littered with places that would fail immediately in a big city.
Too many of the people have vastly different priorities than my own. There are few different variations on this one- the drunks, the rednecks, the "mayo is great and I just hope that some day I can be a 45 year old fat ass with a family"'s etc. etc. in my experience when I travel other places I find a lot more people who are more like-minded than I do here.
In the grand scheme of things though when you factor in the job situation and all that jazz- I'll be here for a bit longer.
I'm not so negative about it that I can't look at the bright side either- my day to day life here is generally pretty good! I have my girlfriend and my dogs and a nice house and I can pursue my hobbies etc.. It's just never that far from my mind that I'd be happier in most of the other places that I've spent significant time in the past.
Ouch, "rednecks". City slicker slang? For a guy who likes to ride gravel roads, that term is kind of harsh. Should I hide my pick-up? :)
ReplyDeleteIn snow country a 4-wheel drive is kind of necessary if you like powder :)
Yes, you are a hypocrite.
ReplyDeleteTwo, everyplace has stuff that sucks about it.
Three, the night club scene is not the greatest, but that usually attracts low lifes and drunks. I am happy about the lack of a night life.
Four, you find like minded people in other cities because you seek them out. You don't travel to the cities to race and expect fat red necks shooting signs. They are like minded people out to ride bikes. Everyplace has just about everything in the mix.
Fifth, if you want people of like mind work at a bike shop, not a huge internationally acclaimed hospital that needs to be super organized and structured to do well.
Sixth, in conclusion often times you see what your actions in life have brought you to. In work and play.
Seventh, trucks are for guys that are secretly crying out for a hug on the inside. Just grown men that need a hug (and a gun rack in their cab).
No, no Charlie. Trucks are for guys like you who have daughters who love horses and need Daddy to pull them around. Hence the big diesel belchin' truck. Besides, in Minnesota it is illegal to carry a gun in the rack in a pick-up unless you are an officer.:) Just sayin' :)
ReplyDeleteCharly you are right!
ReplyDeleteI drive a truck with loud pipes- I'm a redneck, I just don't like the "super redneck" type we get around here... or maybe I just don't like them when I'm on my bike. Seriously though- I don't mind that group too much.
The night life thing- probably has more to do with who my friends are and my friend's friends are than anything else. I understand that. I do think that if we had more nicer, but not wannabe snooty (we seem to only have trashy and faux-upscale) joints maybe they wouldn't just attract trash?
Is that a job offer to work somewhere else?
I felt this way before I started to ride- most certainly. That said, I've always been involved in sports or activities which have probably helped me to avoid the realities of how poorly I get along with most people.
It was certainly a big accident that I wound up with a Biology degree and working at Mayo- I guess that's how life works. I (we) do have a plan that will allow me to do something else in the near enough future.
btw guys- thanks for reading.
"...mayo is great and I just hope that some day I can be a 45 year old fat ass with a family"
ReplyDeleteWork at Mayo? Check
Have a family? Check
Fat Ass? Check
45yr old? Only 8 to go!!!
And I drive a truck!! I can't wait to get off work and sit on the tailgate, drink High Life, and watch my kids who are playing in the yard.
(Yes, this is how a weeknight at my house goes)
Drew, what's your background? (Hometown, college) I have never lived in large metro area.
honestly- I will certainly someday be a 45 year old with a family, I already have a truck and a I like beer. Nothing wrong with any of that! However, it's the values/goals/beliefs that I will instill in my family that will be a bit different than too many of my fellow Rochesterites...
ReplyDeleteI basically grew up in Minneapolis- went to school at ASU and the U of M (although I almost went to Middlebury and later St. Olaf, but decided I wanted to be in the city both times). My parent's live in Red Wing and I did attend H.S. there as well.
When I 'escape' I want to go somewhere where it's even easier to get away from people- I love nature. We've been talking about the greater Vancouver area recently or perhaps a suburb of Portland.
I'm at Mayo because no one else would hire me (literally). I'm very grateful for my wonderful job- I just wish they were a bit more liberal about a lot of things.