Blarg

I've been riding irregularly the past few weeks, doing about 60-80 miles a week.  Compared to my mileage this time last year, it's up 20 or 30 percent, but it's still not where I want it to be: I really am shooting for about 100 miles a week.  Unfortunately the weather and schoolwork are conspiring against me.  And it doesn't help that it gets dark at 6:00 now (freaking time change...).

Anyway, last weekend I got down to Charlotte for the annual Bike Stampede bike swap.  This was my first time going to one of these events, and it was an eye-opening experience.  I spent the first half hour wandering around with a goofy smile on my face at the sheer profusion of clothing, accessories, parts, and full bikes being offered at ridiculously low prices.  I filled in the gap in my winter clothing wardrobe quite quickly, snagged another jersey and some stuff for my dad, and discovered I had quite a bit of my budgeted cash left over.  Sooo......

I proceeded to buy parts for another fixed gear.  Frame for $15 (I think it's a late 1990s Cannondale R600), fork and stem for $40, headset for $15, cranks for $20... the list goes on.  Of course, the headset was missing the fork race, and the fork steerer tube was too short, so I'm currently hunting around for another fork and a headset race.  But from what of the bike I've got together so far, it looks really good.  I think it's going to weigh about 14 or 15 lbs, which is ridiculously light.  Definitely looking forward to riding it!

Back to training... The next couple of weeks don't look too encouraging, since we're into the home stretch and finals are in sight.  I just need to get enough riding in to not go stir crazy.  Over Thanksgiving I will be able to get in a 60 miler, the "Burn the Turkey" ride around Greensboro.  Very much looking forward to that, too.  Group rides beat the snot out of riding alone, especially in the winter.

Over Christmas I will probably be working some, but hopefully I will be able to step up the amount of training I'm doing.  The one concern is our 4 day trip up to Maryland and how to fit my bike in the car to get up there...  I'll have to think about that.  

I think that's about it, hopefully I will have some pictures of my new fixed up once I get it all cobbled together.