A couple weekends ago I was at my brother's (known as duo) and decided to teach him to ride a bicycle. He's 13 and hasn't ever ridden. I first learned to ride at age 5. I had my first motorcycle in grade 3! Heh, haven't thought about that thing in years! Little gray 50cc dirt bike.

Anyway, so we busted out my old BMX TC-9. Front tube loses air but other than that it's still a strong little bicycle. It's ultra light, plus I removed all the reflectors and extraneous crap and installed a front brake a long time ago. I was the only kid with a front brake. I rode it some myself (a couple weeks ago) and actually liked it more than my big 18 speed. It's so pleasant and smooth. Only 1 gear, hard-ass seat, no real rear brake, no suspension, 15" mag wheels... YAH! I can still pop wheelies on it! It's so low to the ground I can use my feet to corner and if I'm about to low-side off it I just put my feet down and pick up the bike! I carried my brother on the back, which was hard. I jumped the curb. Man, I was born to ride on two wheels.

Still, there's nothing like being able to just sit back and turn the handlebar and WHOOOOOSHH!!! you're going 50 mph. I want a motorcycle that's as quiet and light as my little blue and yellow BMX! Anyway, so duo picked it up pretty quickly. He was surprised how easy it was. We just have to replace the front tube and he's good to go.

I came home one day and decided to get some ABBA. I got "SOS", "Fernando", "Knowing Me, Knowing You", and "The Winner Takes it All".

duo has an Instagib match on Saturday. We've been challenged by another team on the DM 2vs2 ladder. I'm feeling lazy, so I think we're going to pick Deck and Tempest. I don't think it will go to Tempest (the tiebreaker). I think we'll probably blow them away. In fact, I'm going to try something new this time, since I'm getting tired of playing these third-tier teams. We're not even going to practice whatever map they pick. We're just going to show up and frag the hell out of them. I remember Clan |C|ondemned, back in their heyday, used to not practice at all--they just (collectively) played two or three official matches a day (they were on a total of like 17 distinct ladders). My prediction for Deck: (BoD) wins, 70-25. For whatever map they pick: (BoD) wins, 52-16. I want to play some better teams, but these new guys challenged us before we could challenge somebody else. That'll be next Wednesday I think.

Looks like X-Files dissappointed again. All they really did was replace Mulder with Doggett. I betcha Mulder remains on that ship all season. The only difference is now Doggett will play the skeptic to Scully's insatiable lust for "the truth". Other than that, just standard episodic X-Files. Which is hit-or-miss.

Rain Saturday. 40 degrees. What is this, a conspiracy to prevent me from riding? Not that I can't ride when it's wet or cold. But when it's wet, and windy, and raining, and very cold, and that bike has knobby, hard-compound tires and no weather protection, and I'm not real experienced with cold tires or wet pavement... I'm inhibited from riding. I still can't decide what kind of bike I want. I'd reeeeeally like to find an old FZR600 or mid 80s VF500F. Mid-size sportbikes from the late 80s and early 90s. I may just go for a GS500E and give it some cheap mods--a little weight shaving (can I lose 10 pounds from the bike?), a Buell-style mini-fairing, hi-performance tires, maybe a couple engine mods like cutting out some baffling from the can, rejetting, a foam air filter, and a little tuning (valve adjustment, cam timing, spark advance, carbs), and some custom paint. I probably won't have me a bike till the Spring at this point. Let's go riding!!