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added a blog for my (almost former) job today [link]. i think the students will offer a better live dimension to the otherwise somewhat static nigh stodgy site (as such sites must usually be).

sears, or in particular craftsman tools, rocks my world. a set of metric allen wrenches (hex keys) had worn down over the years. the 6mm and 4mm in particular, since both my motorcycle and bicycle used these sizes frequently. the edges beveled after so much use, and as a result they began to strip out new nuts. i took the whole set in, really only expecting two new wrenches at best. instead, and in a matter of moments, the sales guy gave me a whole new set. fancy.

it’s been a week of cloudbursts and thunderstorms. i write this by way of a story about eugene, oregon. after signing and faxing the lease in (a fabulous house on college hill!), i had to call and transfer all of the utilities over. when setting up the trash and recycling services, the woman asked me for a drivers license (standard procedure for all home services); when i told her it was a california license, she exclaimed “oh, you’re one of those!” i quickly reassured her “no, no, we’re coming from new york,” as though that was somehow more acceptable. i need to change my license right away after we move there, because if i ever get pulled over with a california drivers license, the cop will undoubtedly give me extra fines and tickets.

rain also means less riding. not because i fear water, but because i can’t really take саша out in the downpour and slippery drivers. tomorrow we’re going on a group ride with the flcc (с and i). a nice little 24-mile loop. the weather promises to be more compliant.

lastly, the new tyres i wrote about do make me faster. i noticed somewhat more measurable comparisons while riding on wednesday: prior to this, on downhill coast-only, on the old tyres i ran about the same speed (@100psi); on the new tyres i couldn’t help but pass people—everyone—on a downhill coast, i usually had to ride my brakes a bit. i wonder if it’s because the old tyres had squared on the center, and thus had more rolling resistance; the pressure is more or less the same, the riding conditions (drafting, temperature, etc.) also seem somewhat average. boomski plans on coming out to eugene, so now i need to get some real cross tyres so i can ride hilly hills with them. fun!