I finally bicycled to work today. A few problems.

One, my bike needs sooooo much work. I bought it used last week, and boy did I get jobbed. But used bikes are on the same price scale as small apartments in Pdx, so that's what you get. Unfortunately, the drive train was shot: the chain broke within blocks, and since it's an old stretched-out chain, that means I have to replace the cassette, too.

Did I get a chance to mention yet that the chain broke again, going to work? But I think it's ok now, just too short to shift gears decently. I bought new gear cables after work but don't know when I'll to replace them. So this 21-speed bike is currently a 5-speed.

I found a decent route to work, through the Eastmoreland area on Bybee; I avoid a lot of the nastier streets this way before getting on Milwaukie up to Powell. The Ross Island Bridge isn't too bad, apart from having about a 30-degree grade! No, that's just the major problem with biking: I am so horrendously out-of-shape. So I was sucking wind bad on the bridge, and the only thing that kept me from inhaling tons of exhaust was that the wind was from the north, keeping my air supply pretty decent.

I did not have a helmet until after work; that was scary. But I now have one, and I have lights, and the brakes actually work well. So with good weather ahead, I should be able to start getting into shape. I need to get over to the Bicycle Repair Collective so I can work on it, but I'm thinking I'll probably have a tune-up done: drive train & other adjustments. It'll be an extra 50 bucks or so, but the alternative is to do a half-ass job myself and suffer for it. Once it's been set-up properly, I can take it to the BRC once a month and tweak it.

The point is: I'm biking again, and I love biking. The Tour is on. The Seattle-Portland Classic is this weekend. Summer is finally here. It's the right time to be on a bike, even if I'm fat, out-of-shape and struggling to keep the damn thing in gear. I'm sore and exhausted, and I feel great.