One for this year...

Hey y'all!

I recently meandered in this direction.  I noticed that it has been a while for me and really most of those I followed in the glory days of blogging (for me).

I read the last handful of posts.  There were notifications of loss and promises of more blogging (maybe).  Well, I ain't here for that stuff.  But I will give you a quick update for those not already up to speed.

There are no major losses for me to report.  The only thing I have really lost that I hold dear would be my weekends.  But that can be a positive thing sometimes.  Business has been pretty damn good for the "side hustle".  So good that if there is a RARE off weekend, I find I have no idea how to spend the time.  Probably because there is so much that I go into overload and laze out.  But that rest has been needed.  So my laziness in this case is a good thing.

20 years have passed since my wedding day.  As a gift I am taking my wife on a cruise.  She is ecstatic and has been counting down the days.  So ecstatic that she is willing to overlook her mistrust of airline travel.  So it has been her motivation to keep pushing them goods out the door the last couple of months.  And it will be my first REAL vacation in several years.  I can't wait either!

I have also rediscovered my one of my favorite hobbies.  Last year I found my way to Slow Roll and I have been spending regular time on my bike ever since.  Not to the same degree as the golden years, but I no longer have to ride alone.  Group rides are the best.  So good in fact that they have motivated me into being out of doors during the summer.  I haven't done THAT in a while!  And I noticed some differences between my chest and forehead skin the other day.  I thought it was due to me cleaning out the gutters and attempted to wash it off.  Somehow the soap didn't do the job.  I think I am trying to look negro or something now.  My wife seems to be enjoying the light chocolate haze that has settled on me so it's all good!

Not only has the bug to ride bitten me hard, but I am motivated to build some new skills because of it.  You see I have been digging the new bike culture in Detroit.  People are even making bike clubs in large quantities.  And most of the club members are riding custom cruisers around town.  Some are pretty damn sweet.  More important the riding posture looks way more comfortable than the "curled up like a shrimp" look that was the way to go when I rode FAST.  And my hands are no longer young and have developed a touch of achyness.  So the old riding style is not that comfortable for my elder more corpulent body.  This brings me to the desire to have a different steed for the type of riding I do now.  Thsi in turn brings about a few problems as follows"

• The first problem is that most of those fly rides are single speed with coaster brakes.  I need my gears, and I like big boy brakes on my bike.  
• I also want something that is a little different from the norm looks wise.  Not that easy to find. 
• Thirdly, most of the frames with the right ergonomics are too long.  They are more stretch/limo cruisers.  I am thinking more "power cruiser"
• 4th, most of those are also too narrow between the rear dropouts for me to "reconfigure" them to my intended use.
• AND most of those designs are not quite how I want them.  Some are close but none are cigar.
• OH ANNNNDDDD... almost all of them use Hi-Ten steel.  Even the fairly expensive ones (at least expensive for my cheap ass).  I can't do Hi-Ten.  I gave up cheap bikes YEARS ago!  I can't go back.

I am guessing you can see what is coming, right?
I have two paths to glory.  Either find a custom builder to make it to my specifications, or learn the skills to do it myself.  I am guessing you weren't just skimming to get this far.  So you already know that I am cheap as hell.  So you probably figured out which option I am not planning on taking.
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I'll wait for those of you who are a little slow...


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.. Okay done waiting.

Yep, you guessed it.  I have decided that side hustle number two will involve some metal work, welding and powder coating.  Hopefully the investment in these skills will save me money over paying someone else.  And I have like four designs I would like to see in my garage, so it may be cost effective in the end.  And with the proliferation of bicycles in the area, there may be some decent cheddar in it.  We will see how that goes.  Or IF it goes.  Main hustle and side hustle number one are some greedy mofoz.

So...  Things seem to be steaming along pretty good right now.  I am doing okay.  Things could be better, things are not worse.  I will take that any day.

I won't make any promises about when the next update will happen here.  Seems I am not too good at keeping them, sooooo....

Oh, and GO Team USA!!!  Some great stories in these Olympic Games this time around, huh?

Yours truly,

The Second Sixty-Eight