Constant state of flux

So I bought a couple of new bikes.

Pictures will hopefully be to follow, but this is dependent upon buying or borrowing a camera from someone.

The first is for my impending tour around the globe, 1986 Trek 720. The bike is as pristine as any I have ever seen, I feel lucky to own it. Long wheel base, braze-ons for near anything you could want, including THREE water bottle cages. Even the paint is in great condition, considering the age. The only thing that shows any wear were the gum hoods on the brake levers, they were cracking just plain old. I just took them off and wrapped the new bar tape around to create a little hand-hold so I will not have to be holding cold metal. I put fenders and a rear rack on, so I am a few steps closer to being ready for my trip.

And none too soon, because frankly I am a little frustrated at work. I just cannot remember the last time I had a "good" day at work. Everyday without fail there is some damn issue or problem that I have to deal with. Since I am in charge, that means that without fail I am the one who has to figure out and correct every damn problem that arises.

BTW Roots and Fruits is the most pathetic poorly run piece of shit company that I have EVER ordered from throughout my entire career. Furthermore they can fuck off and die, I have little respect for them right now, and as soon as I can I am going to completely 86 all ordering from them.

Get this, so there wasn't an order put in Thursday for Friday, which really isn't a big deal, you have a couple of hours in the morning to get an afternoon delivery lined up. So I called, at 8:30 shortly after they phone lines open, and tried to talk to a representative about getting a delivery. The kind lady on the phone informed me that every one of the reps was in a meeting.

Ok think about this, they took every last rep away from the phones and made them unavailable at the same time.

Smart planning eh?

Then I finally got a return call at about 10:10 where "Rob" (ext 62144 btw) informed me that it wouldn't be a problem getting an afternoon delivery. So I placed the order.

He called back a few moments later to tell me they didn't have a couple of items, nothing important or critical so I just let it slide.

I go home (afternoon), start working on bikes.

5:30 I get a call from work, the roots order never showed. We were out of all sorts of crap, I had to go to the Co-Op and buy mixed greens, the eight I ordered never showed. The lines were of course closed by that time so we couldn't get anyone to tell us why the order never came. I buy some more "groceries" from costco and call it good for the night.

Sleep.

(Oh I went to an Art opening that was cool)

Wake up, go to work and wait patiently watching the clock to call that Rob bastard to figure what the fuck happened. I was a little pissed by that point, still am really. Before the lines open, Roots shows up. I was hoping a little bit that this would be the case, that for some reason the order was entered in the wrong day, or didn't get processed in time. So I check the invoice and start to get ready to put everything away.

Something is really off.

Instead of organic produce and a few bakery goods, this order is full of milk, cheese, cream and mostly dairy goods.

NOT MY ORDER.

Somehow, my order was 100% wrong, although it was correctly entered under our account. Not even close, one day late, and over priced.

I was fuming, about as angry as I had ever been towards a company.

They did end up getting my crap out to me, just not until 3 o'clock. A tad late I would say, but better than never. JP offered to loan me a couple of cases of greens if it would have gotten to that point.

I ran around this afternoon to buy parts for my other new bike (winter bike). I gathered all the parts I needed and started getting greasy in my bike room. Right after I got the BB, stem, seatpost, brake caliper, lever, stem, and wheels on the bike, my phone starts ringing. Hmm, work calling... Should I answer? I do of course, although I wish I wouldn't have, though it wouldn't have helped me any. The supervisor who's last day would be tomorrow had to leave work, his girlfriend's water broke.

Yeah good for them and all, and not to be selfish, but it pissed me off. Not that I am bitter towards happy couples (I am) or anything like that. It is just that I had already put in a 8 hour shift, and getting that call meant that not only would I have to work tonight, but that I would have to work tomorrow morning as well. My hands were still greasy and the bike was only half finished, I still had to put the cranks on, switch to platform pedals, and deal with the chain. Oh, cannot forget about bartape, and installing lights. I was able to finish all the tasks within about 20 minutes, and the bike was ready to go.

The ride over to work was nice, snowy, slick, cold, perilous, but nice. I didn't crash, which in the winter is my litmus test for a good ride.

Work sucked, I didn't leave till 9:30, and I had to figure out what I was going to do for the brunch menu. So far I have been lucky enough to not have had to work any brunch shifts, and that is I how like it. Brunch is about the most pain in the ass weekly event for I would guess every restaurant on the planet.

I should shower now, I smell like food, grease, sweat, with a touch of stinky labrodoodle. I took Viggo for a walk this afternoon.

And I want a beer...

BTW the new winter bike is a Takara, which funnily enough I think is made by Kuwahara, due to the drop-outs and headset being marked as such. Kuwahara was the brand of my first SS bike I built up a couple of years back. I ended up selling the frame to Stacey (see left) and I have been missing it ever since. Great for winter, slightly longer wheelbase and indestructible.