Constant state of flux

I have been meaning to get around to posting this for a while, but until yesterday it had been slipping my mind. So a little over a week ago I was stopping over at the house to check on things, pack up some remaining glasswear, just basically doing my duty as a homeowner. Right after I pull into the driveway, hop out of the cab and start to walk up the sidewalk I notice something. There just quivering on the siderwalk is a little chipmunk, tiny little guy not doing anything but sitting there. It isn't that common to see a chipmunk in the city, usually they run so fast that I can only recall a handful of times where I have actually seen one around. The other peculiar thing about this particular stationary (but living) chipmunk, was the wet circle all around the poor little guy. Walking right next to him I could see that his was scared, although for some reason he lacked the energy or drive to run away from me. I spent a couple of hours packing things up, mostly decorative wine glasses which I had been leaving just to spruce the place up a little, encourage buyers that sort of crap. Leaving the house I see the animal still there, still scared, fresh urine stain. I left and didn't think much of it.

Fast forward to yesterday, as I was finishing up the remaining duties that the house is going to require of me, I was back at the house. It took me a while to notice it, at first it looked like a little pile of leaves. There, not 3 feet from where I saw the chipmunk last was a dried out skeleton covered with maggots, flies and fur. Poor little guy, must have gotten into some poison or something, that would explain how fast the body dried out. Imagine spending your final hour on a bleak section of sidewalk in south Minneapolis, baking in the hot sun and unable to move from your own defication. Crappy way to die if you ask me.

For some reason the wifi in my apartment building isn't working right now, I cannot really check it considering that it is over in my neighbor's apartment. So given that I am sitting at the ch@tterbox back over in my old hood. It has been a while since the last time I was here, the beer isn't cheap enough, and the location just doesn't entice me enough to head this direction. The only thing (aside from hunger panes) that is attracting me here right now is the wifi. It never really changes here, the same servers (different hair color though) and the normal lunch crowd.

So I am still unemployed, though I am set to start a job sometime next week. Over at up$ being a package thrower, which I am beginning to realize might not be the easiest or funnest job I have ever had. Now that I am hired and slated to start, I am having a few reservations. The pay is low enough that I am barely going to be scraping by, actually I am going to have to dip into the cash from selling the house each month just to pay my bills. The tuition and insurance are the only things that make the job worth having, but I am starting to wonder if that is enough. Really right now I have enough cash to tide me over for a couple of months, being employed or not. So I might just start applying to some other places, hopefully something other than kitchen work will present itself. The sad thing is that I know I would be able to get the highest wage doing just that, cooking again.

The last couple of days have been spent doing nothing but reading, I have started and finished 3 books in the past 5 days. I don't know how much they really count though, all are books that I have read at least once before. I just wanted to get my mind into the habit of reading again, taking 17 credits for sure is going to require lots of reading on my part. I have rediscovered my love of Vonnegut, somehow I forgot how fun his books are to read.

This morning was spent mostly finishing up cleaning of the house. The final mowing and clearing out the basement of the empty paint cans and aerosol products that we had been collecting over the years. Right now there is hardly anything left, except some old window blinds and the paint cans full or half full corresponding to the colors still throughout the house. The closing is in just a couple of days, so I want to make sure that I have everything out of there before that happens. It is a little difficult to imagine not having the house anymore, 5 and a half years now it has been ours, crazy to think it gone.

So tip my hat and drink (even though it be just water) to the old casita, you will be missed
and we had some good times.

A little side note, anyone wanting to buy old Felipe a drink had better in the next week or so. Once school starts I am planning to be riding the sober train. I don't need to be wasting 5k a semester just to have my mind fuzzy.

I just wanted to give all you readers accross the country a little glimse into the fun weather we are all sitting through right now in the twin cities. That really dark red part is as I type passing over my apartment. Fun shit. Lets just hope that the power doesn't get kicked off before I finish typing this.

Well there really hasn't been much going on, I have not been working for almost a week and a half and really I am starting to get the hang of relaxing. There aren't really that many projects left to do around the apartment, so most of my leisure time is being spent either reading, watching movies or cooking.

Meals cooked in the last 24 hours.

Last night, pasta with a saffron eggplant sauce and lots of fresh chevre and EVOO.
This morning, steel cut oatmeal with vanilla soymilk, organic french vanilla yogurt (tastes like freakin ice cream)
Lunch, lots of sausage, salami, olives, pita and chevre bought from a mid afternoon run to Bill's Imported foods.
Dinner tonight shrimp spring rolls, fresh variety no the greasy ass fried ones. Lots of cilantro, somen noodles, shredded carrots, garlic and ginger. Did a little run by United Noodle on my way back from Bills.

I have to try my best to conserve my cash, no job will do that to a guy. At least my rent is dirt cheap, and I should be (fingers crossed knocking on wood here) closing on the house September 1st.

Speaking of Jobs I had another interview at Up$ this afternoon. The lady who I talked too seemed super eager to get me to work there. She kept on talking about these other things I could do, like be a saturday truck driver, supervise the rest of the package handlers etc. It might not be a bad gig delivering for that company, the full time drivers earn about 60-70k a year.

So I did a little digging into the UMN class schedule and got myself signed up for what just might be one heck of a return back to the education process. Currently I am enrolled for 17 credits, which I tell myself I should be able to handle. Sure I have been out of school at least full time status since 2001, but I tend to have (too much?) confidence in most everything I do. It just seems silly paying 5k a semester to not take as many classes as possible. They have thing thing now at the U where anything over 13 credits is a flat fee. So basically it is like I am getting a class for free, big bonus. I have 45 credits right now, and if I stay on about this track I will only have to pay for three semesters worth of schooling, at least for my undergrad. This semester will finally tie up all the loose ends for the CLA requirements, leaving just my major requirements and testing out of freshman comp. Had I known it was this easy I would have went back to school years ago.

Oh and I wrote a big ass post about my breakfast full of pictures of juicy corn pancakes that blogger seems to have misplaced... Bitch.

So lets just start with the bad... That is my knee all dirty with plenty of dried blood. Yes I did have a little crash last night on my bike, yes beer/sparks may have been involved just a little bit. I admit my riding skills may have been a little impaired, but I would like to place blame upon this guy.

He (Roger?) and I were riding back to the soap factory from Grumpy's NE and we took a "short cut" through a parking lot. Turning left off of that cobble stone road down by St. Anthony Main, there was a bunch of loose dirty/gravel which I couldn't see. Roger just plowed right over it, I on the other hand had the wheels of the Merckx slip out from under me and landed hard on my left knee. No major damage, just some road rash, nothing I haven't done before. Luckily as I am sure you are all waiting with tense anticipation, the Merckx is just fine.

Lets rewind to the begining...

After getting the free breakfast at the t-rock, I headed home for a little while, did some laundry and got myself nice and hydrated. Like I said yesterday, the bike is nice and shiny, quite the beauty. I headed back to the t-rock to meet and ride with Bryan, Pink Pigtails, and Lando (i.e. Frodo). I got there just in time as they were all standing and about to leave when I rolled up. We took it nice and slow to CRC, they had all just had a couple of drinks and some food. Anyone who frequents the place can attest that being in such condition after the t-rock just isn't that condusive to fast bike riding. Pink was riding the pugsley as well, 3.7" tires while they can roll over just about anything, aren't the best for speed. I didn't care, I was just enjoying being on the bike.

We pulled up to CRC and there was the starting of a crowd showing up. At this point there was maybe 25-30 people, nothing to scoff at, but no where near the numbers that would eventually arrive. The free beer didn't start showing for about 15 minutes, so I bummed one off of my bro and took some swills off of Bryan's sparks. The people starting showing up, something fierce. Next thing we know there is well over 100 of us, probably closer to 200 just hanging out attacking the free premium when I was opened.

This pic doesn't really show the full magnitude, but you get the idea.

We all started up Bryant, headed the direction of the greenway.

There got to be a little bottle neck going down the entrance to the greenway, especially with the tight turn at the bottom nobody really was pushing it, probably for the best.

I noticed I had a severe lack of beer, so myself and 3 other bikers who I sort of know all busted ass to the front. We were not able to pull in front of the pace bike, or else risk a fate of being a victim of some serious derby casualty. The only person who I saw that got attacked was Lando, but that was a little more down the road. We stopped at MGM just off the trail and filled our bags up with a case of PBR and about a half dozen sparks. I didn't mean to, but I think I actually got all that beer for free. I used the card and people just started shoving cash into my hands, I tried to give some back but no one was accepting it. At very most I spent 4 dollars on a bag full of beer. Now we were a little ways behind, so I put the hammer down and rushed down the trail towards downtown. It took a good 3 miles at a +20 mph pace to catch up, the lead was just that great. At this point we took the curly ped bridge.

On the other side we all pulled off into the hobo camp.

I caught these two making out, I have the feeling that there might be a jealous crosscheck somewhere.

I used to see this guy down at Coastal all the time, he was spinning at the Montana later in the day. Everyone just had a good time and enjoyed sitting in the city forest for a while.

We all rode downtown to 1x1 where there was a keg promised as well as a DJ and the slight possibility of some derby action. The keg fried pretty quick, I was too impatient to wait in line so although I had a cup I just drank the beer in my bag. I convinced Amy C to get her wares from her space in the building behind 1x1, though it was kind of like pulling teeth to motivate her. Not sure what the problem was, 200 bikers and her undies and t-shirts with bicycle stuff all over, talk about knowing your market.

We went to the Montana at that point, where there wasn't as much derby action but skid comps, more beer and general trouble causing.

From the Montana we started riding towards Behind Bars. I got a flat on my rear wheel (damn cheap ass continental tire), the siblings all stopped and provided moral support (and CO2) while I wrestled with the tight bead of a new tire. At Behind Bars, I borrowed a floor pump and drained out all the CO2. I think I might have been close to out of beer at this point, more a deal of giving them away than drinking myself. Josh was kind enough to let me use his bathroom, just 2 doors down. He also gave me a couple of beers which was very kind. As we were walking out of the parking lot, we see everyone yelling about this kid who was stealing someone's bike. The poor kid didn't make if far away from such a big group of bikers, and zito(sp?) just held him and told him that we were calling the cops. There was no intention of actually doing so, but just that ten minutes had to be enough to scare him into thinking twice about stealing another bike. Funny thing, the bike the kid took was Josh's, and probably (his words) the cheapest piece of shit of the hundred or so bikes there.

We left BB and headed to the soap factory, at this time it was a little dark. Roger was leading, but I was right behind keeping up on the dirt trails on the road bike. That is twice this week I have done minor off-roading on a bike not at all suited for it. We were all thinking that the Soap Factory was going to be the same deal, free beer and general party atmosphere. Turns out there was a 15 dollar cover, though I didn't know this and I just burst past the guards and set my bike on side and walked in. There were some of my ex-b-wood employees that started laughing and I swear I heard them say "That's Phil for you", what the fuck does that mean? Well it took me just a couple of minutes before I noticed that no one else was coming inside, so I left. We all just hung out in the street and did some dark very drunken derbying, of which I was drunk enough to think was a good idea. Lucky I don't think anyone got in any serious accidents, but I wasn't paying close enough attention. We all started shouting (by all I mean myself and some girl) about how lame it was to have to pay 15 dollars, so someone came up and gave us a talking to. Bad bikers, bad.

So after that I just rode to Grumpy's with some people, at which point I realized it was a terrible idea to drink anything else. I even turned down a free pbr tall boy and opted for riding home instead. I had my little accident on the way, and saw evil chuck and my friend Sam at the Soap Factory. Sam was leaving and she lives in my 'hood so we road together blood spilling down my leg and everything. Sam was nice enough to feed me some cold Luce, which at that point was quite needed.

All and all it was one hell of a night, probably ranks in the top ten, at least in recent memory.

This morning even I woke up not feeling that wasted or hung over, lucky I cut myself off when I did. I was in good enough shape to ride downtown and buy some produce from the farmer's market before riding back home. I stopped by Freewh eel to buy a new rear tire, I just hate theat continental on there, they gave me the employee discount which after tax was like 23 dollars for a 30 dollar tire and 2 five dollar tubes. Awesome. Bought myself a little KimChi and the fixins for some spring rolls, so Felipe is gonna be eating good tonight.

P.S. you can see all the pictures here http://flickr.com/photos/cheffelipe/

So I just spent the last hour or so cleaning up ye ole merckx. The gears were feeling a little gritty, probably something to do with being stuck out in the rain a couple of times. Now the bike sparkles nice and clean just waiting for the big bike ride tonight. I did use the hose to get the grit and dirt out from the cassette, I just didn't really have any other way aside from removing the wheel and dissasempling the whole damn thing. I wasn't using enough pressure to hurt the sealed cartridge bearings, and now after everything is nice and dry the whole drivetrain feels and sounds much better. It had just been too long since I had done it and I don't have much else to occupy my time right now.

Jer/Kim and I all met up for b-fast at the t-rock this morning. Being the poor broke jobless SOB that I am I didn't actually order anything, just ate off of the left overs from my siblings. Even after all of us had our fill, there was some food that hit the garbage. Pink Pigtails was kind enough to give me coffee on the house, so I didn't end up spending a cent, which is good because the only cash I had was of the plastic variety.

After breakfast I hit up three different bike shops looking for a cell phone holder for my new banjo brothers bike bag. If anyone knows where I would be able to locate on please fill me in.

Anyone else, see you on the CRC ride in about an hour and a half.

Things are looking grim.

Three days with no work and I am running out of ways to occupy my time. Ok well that isn't entirely true, there is always drinking and riding bikes, that seems to be a recurring theme in my life as of late. Still no job, I keep looking though.

They did call me in for orientation at the big downtown restaurant that is opening up in a couple of weeks. That could be an incredible place to work, but I have a feeling that they are so over staffed that they aren't even really going to need me much. Also I am not sure how I feel about having a job with such a high stress level why I am trying to go to school. I have an interview at UPS monday night, just simple baggage handler position, nothing to write home about. The pay really isn't all that good, but the fact that you get benefits with just 20 hours a week looks mighty attractive. They also have a program where you can get like 3000 a year in tuition reimbursement, that helps.

Given that my rent is so dirt cheap, I should have no problem supporting myself with less income. The really should be focusing hard on school right now, just get the shit done and over with.

Aside from that there really isn't much going on in my life, I am unemployed and starting to feel a bit bored.

Ok, like I was saying I got an offer this last weekend on the house. It wasn't the best offer, but really I was getting to a point of desperation and desire to just be done with the house/marriage/old life. There are things that I want to do that are being put on hold until the house is in the past. So that said I was happy to get an offer in the first place. Everything was on track for my (ex)sister-in-law to sign with power of attorney at 10:30 this morning. I get a call at 10:40 from our real estate agent, someone heard that there was an offer on the house and stepped up to the plate and entered another offer. For the next two hours I was working the line and in a constant state of (flux?) anticipation wondering how the new offer would stack up to the previous one. I finally get the call and hear the good new, it is close but better enough that we would be stupid not to accept. Just 30 minutes later I sit at a table and am signing once again the paper work. Both of the buyers are single males, which means if nothing else a further gentrification of the neighborhood. You have to be making a good sum of cash to be able to afford a place by yourself in this market, far more than jobless felipe is going to be making anytime soon. The newest buyer is really excited about the place, which makes me think he will take better care of it. The last buyer seemed pretty aloof as to if we would even accept the offer or not, he may have just been playing hardball but still. Another good point is that this new buyer is ready to close anytime after september 1st, so in just over 2 weeks I may be able to think back upon the house as little more than a fond memory.

So I was going to try and find a picture to post here today from my iphoto library...

This is the best I could come up with...

OK I read somewhere that putting pictures throughout text really makes the reader far more interested in what is being written. I guess there is some validity to that, I like looking at photos as much as the next guy. That being said I am going to be putting a few little pictures here and there, starting right now.


That right there is from a couple of SNR's ago, a giant branch fell and I went to inspect things while everyone else headed to a party. This little branch decided it wanted to live between my chain and cassette, nice branch.

Ok first off the house. I was planning on going out for the race yesterday, not that I was going to do very well mind you, but just race for the fun of it. Right after I had put on my spandex salsa shorts and skin tight shirt complete with wicking action I get a call. The real estate agent was on the phone, seems we had an offer (finally) on the house. So instead of making a fool of myself husting just to keep up, I rode downtown and worked a little business. The offer wasn't great, but in this market anything is better than most get. We countered of course, but that didn't yield any results, the buyer knew that things are in his favor as I am sure I would do in the same situation. Funny how when we bought the house 6 years ago, there were at least 3 offers with the house being on the market for just 1 day. Fast forward to now, the house has been on the market almost 2 months and this is the first market. We had to bid 15k over the asking price, just to assure ourselves victory, this guy did near opposite. So the good part is that the house is going to be sold, just one month longer of paying rent and mortgage and then I am done.

That picture above is all of us drinking on the lowry bridge, right before Jammin and I headed to 112 for the best dang burger I have ever eaten.

Spinach, Green beans, Banana (organic even), Yellow Tomatoes, Shallots, and Purple bell peppers were all part of the bounty scored by yours truely down at the farmers market this morning. Huge amounts of everything, and at a total expenditure of 8 dollars, fuk'n crazy.

After we hit the T-Rock up for the mother trucker, enough to be shared by two and for both to leave extra full.



Yeah um, my bike going down the greenway a couple of days ago, who doesn't have one of these pictures somewhere on their blog. Sheesh.

As for bikes I don't remember what I was going to type about, so how about this, bikes are uber cool that should be good enough.


I swear half of the biking community have seen that sign, if not more probably more.



That right there is my new friend Tom fixing a flat. I wouldn't have known him if it wasn't for Bike Love . We hooked up after I was at the library, he posted something about wanting to go for an afternoon ride and I was just sitting at the library so out we went. There was a some flatting of tires, but that can be expected. His first patched tube failed right after install, luckily we were both running 700/23 so I just passed a tube his way. After riding we hit Luce for some 2 dollar PBR and then T-Rock for some burgers and more beers. Getting home I was so bloated and full of beer and grease that I just passed out at around 6pm, not really being of much value the rest of the night. It was fun though, thanks again Tom, we for sure will be riding again soon.

Must say, I quite dig the public library. Not that I have not said this before, but the more I visit the more I enjoy the place. Granted the color scheme of the carpets leaves a little to be desired, but the general aesthetic is pleasing and homey. Right now I am sitting on the second floor typing on my laptop. Gazing out the corner over looking 3rd st and hennepin, the windows have to be 14' tall. The city of Minneapolis has been sinking some cashola into some fine projects over the last couple of years. Light rail, library, sears building remodel, lake street revamp, greenway, etc. Minneapolis is becoming a more enjoyable place to live, especially now that we are finally getting more decent restaurants.

I took the normal greenway/kenilworth trail out here, fast and easy if even just a few miles. I am toying with the idea of putting some more miles on tonight, depends all upon how I feel later. I have just 3 days left at the b-wood, and after that I am going to be sans dinero for a little while.

(insert Amy C just rode by, I don't remember that blue bike LHT? /insert)

I did work a little last night at the club on campus, easy very slow work. I think I would be interested if the caliber of the food was a bit higher. Funny how when I was running the kitchen at the country club in the suburbs I constantly was depressed that I couldn't do better food, and compared to what we were doing there, our food was awesome. Now wonder they didn't want me to quit when I did. Something about buying pre-scooped butter balls for banquets just turns me off, as well as having the tomatoes stored in the cooler. So although that would be the highest paying job, I just don't think I could take it, the chef too expressed his concerns that I would get bored.

I smashed my pinky quite nicely yesterday, tossing a heavy box of cups onto the top of a 7' metro shelving unit. Somehow my finger got caught underneath the box and on top of the corner. Not only did I get a big bruise, but a 1/2 dime sized chunk got ripped, leaving a bloody flapping mess. I never realized how much I used my left pinky while typing, but I am sure slower right now.

They have me line cooking my next to last day at the cafe, in the morning. I think it is a big plot to demasculate el jefe, but la duena claims that not to be so.

Hmm should I waste the 2 bucks it is going to cost to see the da vinci code tonight at the riverview? Hmmmm, probably not. Or I guess I could always go see the romantic drama with keanu and sandra, my heart strings could use a little tugging.

Lastly seems the days of the metrosexual are over, all of us ball scratching beer swilling perverts can rejoice, sissy boys everywhere beware.

work sucks but really we have to get it done.

Ok well just yesterday I turned in a couple of applications in my seemingly never ending pursuit towards being gainfully employed. First being a little restaurant just about a mile from my house, the next being the big hotel opening up in a bit downtown. Both I have fairly high hopes for the both of them, small vs. large, local vs. connections all over the US. I have had a pretty dang high level of respect for both places as well, even though the later still has yet to be opened. I am not really sure which I would prefer, and really it might dictate how the rest of my life both professionaly and in all other aspects.

Think about it, if I take the job in the big new hot restaurant, I would more than likely develop ties and little sticky fingers all over the country. If I wanted a job in Las Vegas, I would almost be assured that it would be mine before I even found an apartment. Not to mention the sheer amount of culinary knowledge that I would learn, just being in the place. There is an enormous amount of pressure on the place to deliver and step up to the plate being up among the best that our quaint twin cities have to offer.

The next place is run by an avid bike geek, big props in my book there.

The food is good, but nothing I haven't done before, just "making the donuts".

After my the two submissions of my applications, I had to head to work and do the whole closing night shift ordeal. The worst part about the passing on of my duties onto the rest of the staff, is that I am no longer in total control. I guess I am a little of an anal control freak, who would have thunk it. But I just have precious few days left and then I don't have to worry about the cafe anymore, que bueno.

So I closed, E2 made some whiskey sours for myself and June, July, August and I fell fast asleep. Couple of hours later I wake up and open the cafe, 6:15 am. It was one of those typically busy days, a little crazy but nothing we weren't able to handle. The dairy boys slipped a little getting the hand cart over a bump and two gallons of milk went tumbling down the stairs to the basement, each step letting out a little bit of their payload. We were left with a basement full of milk and stairs that needed a good bleach moping.

Half way through my shift I hear the tell tale sign of a voicemail, signaling that one of the two places was giving me a call. Not bad, less than 24 hours and a call. Worked a bit longer, made pretty tasty pureed summer fruit soup chock full of melons, pineapple, mango and big chunks of kiwi (just for color).

Again the phone rings.

The big place is giving me a call, they want an interview today... Um ok.

So I was able to leave a little early, I am still after all the boss people still have to listen to me when I put down the mandates (little do they know). Rushed home, got myself all beautified and jumped on the merckx for my quick little jaunt downtown. The interview went well, actually real well being as how he offered me a job. I accepted, but am not going to close the doors on any of the other little things I have working right now, knowing that sometimes things just fall through. Again insert anal bastard here, I like to have all of my bases covered, little gets left to chance.

So that is what I have to mull over for the next couple of days, compounded by the fact that I still have not turned off the posibility of the other jobs calling me and offering me a position. Really I know I should have a job by now but I feel like I am holding out for that "perfect" position.

Keep you posted.

I am finding myself just a tad bit worried about the near future, still no secure full time position and just a scant 10 days left of gainfull employment. Egads! Compound that with the fact that my house hasn't sold yet and I might just find myself in a tough situation here soon. Though I do have 10 full days to pimp my resume around, I should be able to find at least a line cooking job in that time.

Crazy busy again at work today, right at the turn from b-fast to lunch is when the line started backing up near to the door. Something about having to cook the two just makes our job that much more difficult. Everyone worked like a champ and we ended the day unscathed.

After work a couple of us were going to help our my new across the street neighbor lift her bed up onto a raised landing. The steep angle of the stairs in this particular house just don't let you bring up even a full size box spring. Thadeo was going to drive the two of us over to the new place, even if it is just 4 blocks. Sadly Thadeo's buick just didn't feel like turning over. Closer inspection and a call to El Padre helped nail down the issue. Some relay in the fuse box was firing even with the ignition switch off therefore draining the battery to nothing. Being the good boss I am, I got my truck and after some effort and scraping of terminals and correctly applying the jumper cables started the car. At this point I recommended he not help us lift the mattress, instead just get him self someplace ASAP. Last thing I wanted to do was have to start the car again, and as long as it was running there was enough power being generated that even a faulty relay wouldn't be able to drain.

The lifting of the mattress went ok, I was able to do most of the lifting myself, but I am good at that heavy lifting manual labor shit.

I still don't know how I feel about another group of b-wood employees moving in accross the street. In a 3 block radius there are at least 10 former or current b-wood employees. Just the night before last I was sitting inoccently in my living room listening to The Shins on my record player when I hear this faint nasal "Phil!". At first I thought I may have been imagining things, but then it came again "Phil!" same nasally women's voice. Not knowing who was shouting at me I meekly waved, this resulted in what was certainly alchohol induced laughter. So my new neighbors can see into my apartment, great, no more walking around nude.

Last but not least in this semi-long winded entry...



I got my wallet back finally. Remember how I dropped it in a parking lot up north a bit over a month ago? Well playing phone tag with the man who found it, I eventually got to talk to him in person and he sent me the lost billfold. All of the cards had been canceled withing 1 hour of losing the wallet, naturally so there was no need to be excited about that. I did get my video shop membership back, as well as my U card and all of the cash I had. There was 82 dollars still in the wallet when I got it back, which is about what I figured I had. I wasn't certain about how much cash I had to start with, or how much I had spent on the road up north. Silly honest north country lutherans, I would have taken those cards and gotten myself a hooker in vegas, seriously folks.

Well I have tofu roasting in the oven I should take a look at as well as a sparks just sitting on the coffee table waiting for me to partake.

None of you are probably going to care that much, but I think it might just be nap time. I am still feeling a little sore from riding yesterday, very apparent when I rode the 10 miles to NE and back for another J.O.B. possibility. I was going slow, very slow. I think at best I was averaging 16 mph, which isn't that great. Honestly I don't know if I did much better yesterday, but whatever.

I think I have gotten a little too much sun, my face is cherry and there is a nice defined line gracing my arm where my bike jersey hits. I still have bunches and bunches to do, but everything is going to have to wait a while.

sleepy


soo sleepy

*yawn*

crash.

So I did head up NE for trivia.

There wasn't that many of us cyclists, which was sad considering the first category was "bicycles" just for Pink Pigtails and Bryan. I showed up around the tail end of the contest, so I was only able to contribute for one category Aaron Spelling Bee.

Afterwards we decided to partake of the one sparks and OE 24oz Malt Beverage up on the Lowry bridge. The view was spectacular, and it was quite the ideal place to drink a beer on a decidedly cooler summer evening.

At that point we split off, Jammin and I towards the direction of downtown and everyone else on home. I was a little hungry, all that bike riding had burned through the 2 pc of pizza and turkey sandwich I had eaten. We stopped by 112 Eatery where I had what had to be one of the best burgers ever. Fried in butter and topped with brie, it was just awesome, crispy where it should be and juicy where it should be. I really cannot think of a place anywhere in the cities where you can get food of that quality up until 1:00 am. We weren't even the only table in the place, which for that late is saying something.

From there I just rode back home, faster than I should have. There must have been a tail wind or something pushing me home, because those last 2 miles were zippy.

Adding up the rest of yesterdays bicycling I put in just over 47 miles, and my legs are feeling it.

Hey.

here is what I rode today

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=338219

At least so far. I still have to get up to Grumpy NE for Trivia and some more drinking. Though I don't know how well I will fare at either. I got enough miles in today that I don't really feel like I need to push it anymore. Honestly, after I get back from NE, I am guessing I will have put the most miles on in a day this year, which is really sad when I think about it.

I stopped at 4 bike shops today, count em, 4.

The first was Hiawatha, just because I finally bit the bullet and got myself a new messenger bag. Supporting local business I chose the Banjo Brothers bag, mostly because it sported the laptop sleeve. The bag is nice, far nicer than the timbuk2 I have been rocking for the last 3+ years since hereNT passed it onto me.

Along Minnehaha Ave I noticed a little bump each tire rotation, which isn't a good thing. Closer inspection revealed that I had a big bulge in my tire. I took a quick little detour north and hit up Nokomis for a cheap tire, which in my book is better than a expensive tire with a big bulge in it like I was rocking. All they had were cheap ass continentals, but that was better than nothing. Being a new tire it took me longer than normal to seat on the rim, but eventually I was on my way.

I met up with Jamin down at Caffettos, he had the day off and was down for some riding. Double shot of espresso and Izzy's clementine later we are on the trail heading towards hopkins. The ride was pretty uneventful, just enjoying the respite from the summer heat and racing the few people who caught up to us. There was one guy time trialing (his words) on some carbon trek that both Jamin and I took turns passing. He seemed like a nice guy and without a doubt was able to maintain a higher rate of speed for a longer time than us, but we raced the bitch anyway.

Insert Luce for some happy hour beer and slices here.

We hit 1x1 to adjust Jamin's brakes, they just told us the cantilevers needed a little lube. C. was working the espresso machine, so I got myself another double. Lubing up the brakes didn't yield much in terms of results, back on the bikes we went.

Hit up Freewheel for a little help from PW and J. They were both working, but J was teaching some sort of class. PW did a number on Jamin's brakes, about a bazillion (favorite word) times better. Turns out J's girlfriend has been trying to get ahold of me for some BBQ'n over here at my little casita. Soon I think I am going to have to have more people over. I still have a chunk of Kobe beef in my freezer just waiting to be devoured.

Coming home I see Summer, Laura, Liz, and Chris all just hanging out enjoying the weather. This neighborhood is getting really inbred, I swear I know half of the people on the block.

Well now I should hop in the shower and get myself cleaned up and ready to go out again. Damn I love summer.