dreadedmonkeygod . net

The Santa Susana Pass used to be my primary reason for balking at commuting by bike. It's one of the local climbs used by roadies to get and stay in shape, and it's no joke. But Alpe d'Huez it aint, and I'm after riding it frequently over the last few months, I'm not so intimidated any more.

So tonight I swapped the clipless pedals on my road bike for some old platforms, and replaced the ugly yellow bar tape with black, and my road machine is ready to take me to work. It'll probably just be one or two days a week, but that's fine. Now I have no more excuses.

I also got to try my new bike shorts. I took the advice of a couple of friends and picked up a pair of really nice Castelli bib-style shorts. They are better than regular shorts, and I highly recommend them. It's so nice to ride for a couple of hours in a pair of shorts that doesn't ride up, doesn't slip down, and doesn't bind around the waist. Highly recommended.

Unfortunately, I managed to pick up a cold on my travels, so I've dosed myself with NyQuil, and will now be retiring to my bed to pass into blissful unconciousness.