Sue’s Blog of Xtracycle Happiness

Finally we have some snow to ride in!

I spent I don’t know how much time agonizing over what to wear on my winter commute, and I think I’ve got a pretty good system going now, so here it is:

Head: ski helmet & goggles OR hat under bike helmet
Torso: tshirt under sweatshirt under rain jacket
Legs: Taku pants from REI
Feet: waterproof Keens OR waterproof hiking boots
Pedals: Crank Brothers 50/50 XX Pedals (took off Time ATAC clipless pedals)
Dry Bag: Xtracycle Dry Bag

This system has kept me warm and dry so far. I keep ‘regular’ pants in my desk at work in case I don’t feel like wearing my Takus all day. Often I just wear the Takus all day, though, because they’re sexy.

How about one?

How about 2?

I don’t know how much these guys weigh, but I’m betting it’s over the 200 pounds Surly and Xtracycle say is the limit!

And yes, they are actually riding my Downtown Cupcake Brown, having a blast. This was taken at the Bridge Pedal Expo where I was volunteering for Clever Cycles as a Booth Bunny … OK, Booth Babe … all right, all right, Booth Bitch … yeah, that’s probably better. Anyway, I spent the afternoon showing off Cupcake and making Xtracycle converts. Nothing’s more fun than sharing my passion with strangers!

Oh, and by the way, these guys are 3 local frame builders, but I don’t remember which guy is which:

• Hugfnagle Cycles: www.hufnagelcycles.com/
• Vertigo Bicycles: www.vertigocycles.com/
• Courage Cycles: www.ridecourage.com

Look, now I have three kids! OK, they’re not all mine. But they kind of look like they match, so I could pretend they’re all mine. For half a second until their parents figure out my clever ruse. Anyway, here we all are, going for a ride around the strip mall sidewalk. There are 140 lbs of kids on the deck, 30 lbs of dog food in one freeloader, and 7 lbs of dog pee cleaner in the other freeloader. I was really impressed with how the bike handled, although I didn’t put it to a very strenuous test on the strip mall sidewalk. I was even more impressed with how all 3 kids held on, didn’t squiggle, and didn’t fight. Amazing! Life on the X is fun!

Four loads, and room for tons more. The dogs are unimpressed, but I am not.

You may know it as Beltane, May Day, International Workers’ Day, RSS Awareness Day, or maybe even One Month Till Sue’s Birthday Day. But henceforth, May 1st shall be known as Biscuit & Lightning Memorial Ride Day.

Yes, I am sad to report that Biscuit & Lightning have left this earthly paradise and are now simultaneously swimming in the great cosmic wave of unconsciousness and taking a dirt nap in the front yard.

Since Biscuit & Lightning were so beloved of our family, it seemed only natural to take their dead little bodies on a Memorial Ride. So we strapped them onto the back of the X and headed off to a nearby Pizzacato for dinner, where we sat outside and feasted while they waited patiently in their casket on the bike. Our next stop was Dairy Queen, where we again kept a loving eye on them as we ingested copious amounts of ice cream that doesn’t melt when you put it in hot chocolate.

This ride was a first and a last for little Biscuit & Lightning. It was something they never got to do when they were alive, and a real treat for them after they were dead. In fact, they enjoyed it so much that I’m thinking about doing the same thing with my dogs if they ever die.

Now that Biscuit & Lightning are buried, we can’t unbury them, so they will not be joining us on future Biscuit & Lightning Memorial Rides. Rest assured though, Dear Reader, that future Biscuit & Lightning Memorial Rides will be taken. Every May 1st, for as long as we feel like it, we shall ride in memorium of Biscuit & Lightning. If you would like to join future Biscuit & Lightning Memorial Rides, let us know, as we may consider opening the rides to the public. The first Biscuit & Lightning Memorial Ride was kept private at the request of the family, but that may change next year.

Rest in Peace, Biscuit & Lightning.