I can’t help but wake up at 0600 or earlier these days, which today gave me time to relax and drink coffee while watching the sun poke up above the Mingus plateau to our east. A smattering of nice high cumulonimbus enhanced the experience.

I got in a fantastic power workout yesterday evening, tempered only by the fact that the YMCA climbing wall, supposedly closed @ 6pm, was already locked up by 525. The Y management will be hearing from me, as that’s a main reason for their getting my money. A pity, as I know from college how climbing wall employees can be like herding cats. For all my flaws as a manager (I thought my boss was full of shit and told him so repeatedly) my workers knew they had to be on time, always. And where, I can never recall any complaints.

The Nathan pack worked very well. First thing when I got it, I pulled out the stock bladder and put in the dromedary, which allows one to fit exactly three liters into the pack. It ran pretty well with a hair less than that in it, moving some but not to the extent that it should ever become problematic. I’m pretty sure it’ll grow on me and we’ll become friends. It even survived 30 second hill intervals, sprinting up a rocky, decayed trail with some 30″ waterbars at the top. The workout itself is encouraging because, after running for 30 minutes total and doing exercises for 25, I felt smoked. Good stuff.

Even better, I’m quite recovered and ready to leave soon for some fixie riding in Flag, scouting the Old-Fashioned race course, and then points beyond, yet to be determined. The trigger point tennis ball self-massage techniques Core Performance elucidated are very effective.

In smaller news, my Surly got into Fixed Gear Gallery, helping to break up the monotony of endless 80’s road bike conversions. One of the few bikes I’ve seen on that site, I might add, where you can actually see the road and trail grit. The cynic says that the ride from dorm to coffee shop must be very free of sand.

It’s also been interesting watching the markets this week, and even more so the coverage thereof. I’ve been interested in such things for a few years, but it’s only been in the last 14 months that I’ve had substantial investments out there in the wide, abstract world of mutual funds. And yet, I’m not worried. I’m betting over the long term on the continued growth of the leviathan, and I do not think that I’ll be disappointed.

Enjoy the weekend.