GRAVEL PUSHER
 

I snapped the above photo and captioned it "Gravel Pusher" about 2 weeks before riding in the All-City Bandit Cross. I must've been pretty optimistic. 

 

I've been riding this 2007 Specialized Langster since Spring and it has been a lot of fun. It's the first "legit" bike I've had since REALLY getting into biking this past year. I've always enjoyed biking, but growing up on a farm and riding your dad's too-big-for-you Huffy on county roads isn't the same. The Langster is the first Single-Speed I've owned and I think I'm hooked. It's a bare-bones dragster that isn't clunky, handles on a dime and is light as a feather. It's been a wonderful summer. 

 

With all that said, it's gotta go. I'm ready for a the touch of another.
(How's that one song go? "Say something I'm giving up on you..."??)

 

At Bandit Cross, I got real close to eating shit multiple times. Like big plates of shit. The biggest problem I was having was the handlebars jarring forward when I'd come down on them hard. I had loosened them a tad because they would creak when I ride and it drove me nuts. I suppose I will tighten them back up (learning as I go). Gravel was like riding on ice and my cute skinny tires couldn't make it up the hills (I also have cute, skinny legs which could've been part of the problem). I envied every person that barreled by on their indestructible All-City and Surly rigs. It was evident they were riding two-wheeled war machines and I need to get on their level.

I'm in the process of saving up some coin to invest in a new steed. New Bike Day is no longer a million miles away. This too will be a bare-bones dragster, but one that's built like a linebacker and dresses like Johny Cash. I grow more anxious with each passing day; researching what I can and doing a fair amount of window-shopping. I've started eyeing passing bikes in almost a sinful way, looking at them lustfully and catcalling under my breath... That is a conversation for a different day, though.

I had a blast at Bandit Cross and look forward to the next one which is scheduled for Oct. 19th. More details here. Hope to see you there!

 

Check out some post-Bandit Cross pics below.