So I may be riding this weekend after all. Early this fall I decided that I needed a new bike, and put the last year’s riding and experimentation into a rigid 29er. I picked a Soma Juice frame, and have had a series of issues with it. Aggravating the debacle, I ordered from an online retailer to “save money.” I did not end up saving stress.

The first frame was damaged in shipping and too small, the second ended up developing a crack due to inadequate welds at the seat stay/ seat tube junction. The shop was kind enough to offer a Monkey as a replacement, and sold me a matching fork at a discount (the longer TT requires a shorter stem and a longer steerer).

The frame itself was a week late, rerouted, then un rerouted, and finally in my hands last night. It’s oiled and ready to head to the shop and have the headset and BB swapped.

So I’ll be ready to ride this weekend after all. Meredith (my wonderful wife) flew to NYC today to visit the sister, so I am free to run amok. This is the (original) plan, that I though I would have to swap with next weekends (the R3 hike):

-Take off work early tomorrow, ride Elden. Drive to Red Canyon, UT.
-Ride Thunder Mtn EARLY, might have some serious fun in the snow with this one.
-Drive to and ride Gooseberry, The Loop. Sleep.
-Ride Little Creek, find a way back to Rainbow Rim, ride, go home.

We’ll see how it all works out; I need to sleep first.