OK, I went to the other Spin and encountered my neighbor picking up his daughter at day care. It was nice to "bump into" someone I know here. It makes me feel more like I am settling in, and actually live and belong here. Spin had a 19" frame in stock- a red Bianchi Doss 6600 (last year's model) with hydraulic disc brakes and a remote fork lockout. Everything I wanted and 3000nok off the regular price or 4000 off this year's price. There was no decision to be made- I purchased it. I left my commuter locked to their bike rack and headed for Uhalland, or whatever it is called. The discs are very nice- they don't seem to fade like rim brakes. My only concern is that the seatpost might not be tall enough. The 21" really was too large. This has the perfect reach, but I think I need the seat just a little higher, and I am already past the minimum insertion mark. Or maybe the bike isn't designed to fit like a road bike.
Sure, I now have four bikes, but I had four prior to moving. Lise and I each sold one. That leaves me with the Look, the junky commuter, my fixed gear (still in a box), and this. Two of my bikes are really recycling projects. That doesn't mean I have any less attachment to them, however. The only issue will be having enough room, since Lise is on her way to pick up her bike out of storage. She missed the ferry- well, there wasn't enough room for our car, so she is on foot. I have no idea how she plans to get the bike case from her grandmother's house to the ferry landing. We still have all the car wheels in the back of the car (she was going to store them when she picked up her bike). It should be interesting.
I phoned the Indian Embassy. They still have not approved my visa. They are open Monday- a holiday for us "Norwegians." This means I have a three-day weekend (with the possibility of a May Day bike race), then I am flying to Oslo specifically to pick up my passport. Then Wednesday I leave for India. I have no office time before I leave. Suddenly I am a little stressed out. I am planning a trip to the US over Labor Day. Lise will come along, but I will extend my trip into a work trip. I still need to work out the logistics, but a plan is coming together.
That is about all for now. Happy Labor Day everyone- which is this weekend here. I will see how I feel Monday. I really am not ready for racing, but I really don't care either. I have nothing to lose.
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5 comments:
Congrats on the new baby, I suppose a celeste version was too much to ask.
I'm in a worse pickle as I just got a fifth (track)and haven't told my wife - maybe I'll just keep it at the office.
My wife was very (suspiciously) supportive of this bike purchase. We have a rule where we cannot buy anything more than $100 without talking to each other first. It has been working quite well. I am still in sticker shock and haven't purchase much of anything since we moved here. Good luck!
I don't think it's suspicious at all, I just haven't told you what all I am planning to buy once we move into the new house...:-) Now I have some bargaining points, actually quite a few points!
Not to mention that coming from a
U.S. point of view, several thousand
NOK sounds like, many thousands of
dollars. It's a nice bike but I
wonder if new countertops or furniture
is far away? Or a new bed or???? Heh.
Sorry for giving her ideas!
-aliensporebomb
I am just trying to get away from converting everything to US dollars. It really warps my thinking, as everything is so expensive here. At the moment, $1000US is around 6142NOK (and slipping... the exchange rate was closer to 6.4 when we arrived).
Still, new cars usually cost 250-300,000 for an inexpensive model- up to easily a half million. Many row houses or side-by-sides cost 2-2.5 million. It usually takes 2.5-3.5 million to get into an "affordable" free-standing home. Gas is 11.40/liter.
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