My First (almost) Productive Day of Fisting the Cycles

I don't know why, but I thought it would be a great idea to ride my bike to the Cyclo Fist.  I knew that meant I'd have sixteen pointless road miles in my legs before I even straddled my first demo, and also I'd have burned all my breakfast calories away...

Whatever.

I got there slightly after 9:00.  Not bad for not really knowing how long it would take me to ride to the USNWC... despite having done it countless times in the past.  I went straight to the Santa Cruz tent assuming they would be in high demand.  I was right.  Nothing in my size.   Next option, Mondraker.

Head over to their tent with Watts who had found me at an opportune time. We both get bikes.  My first choice of model (Foxy) but mebbe (definitely) a size too large.

Watts and I played bikes together in a manner in which we never have before.  Both squishing and shifting and drooping.  So strange.

The bike felt like a magic carpet.  I guess technology has been happening since the last time I was paying attention.  Did you know there's a such thing as sliced bread?

Anyways, we had a hoot.  The bike was an absolute blast, but it was time to swap.  Back to Santa Cruz.  No mediums.  Meh.  At least I finally got to meet Santa Cruz's Don P IRL and no longer we're just Faceblips who consider each other "friends" without benefits on the internet.

Over to Pivot.

"Small Mach 5.5, por favor?"

"No. Small Mach 6?"

Why not?

Watts grabs a 429 Trail, and we go back out again.

Jeebus.  I've been hiding under a rock. This bike is dope.  I run into everything on the trail and try to boost off the smallest of all the things. Watts tells me that he doesn't "play bikes."  Trbl.

photo cred: Watts

It had been hours since I ate, and I started feeling like ass.  Watts suggested we get a beer.  I concurred.  Returned the bikes and we headed to Beer Island.

I did eat some regrettable chili fries, and when Watts suggested a second beer, I concurred once more.

photo cred: Dorothy

My demoing experience was doomed.  Watts and Dorothy left, but Daily and Barlow showed up, more beer, watch some cyclo ross, accept a car ride back towards the big buildings.

I rode home from Daily's house, ate four packs of Ramen and a can of tuna (plastic bikes don't pay for themselves), and turned on the computer.  Time for some more research.

I looked at geometry charts, model features, build kits... all the damn things.  Seriously.  Until my eyes were burnt by the glow of the screen.

I realized that I needed to go back to the demo Sunday.

Fuck.