End of an era.

One of the best feelings in the world is meeting someone new and making a new friend. Unfortunately, oftentimes we have to say goodbye to these friends, only with friends we usually aren't saying goodbye for good. Right now I feel like I'm saying goodbye to one of the best friends I've had these past three years. This isn't the sort of goodbye that you could substitute with a "see ya later," or "call me when you get a chance." This is more of a "it's been real, have a good one." OK, I'm just selling a bike, but in the past three years we've really been through a lot. This is the first road bike I ever owned, did my first long rides on, entered my first road race, won my first road race, had my first bad crashes, and rode my first century. I commuted, and traveled on this bike. I rode it in Colorado, South Dakota, New Mexico, Wyoming, Iowa, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. I trained in my dorm, friends apartments, my apartments, my house in South Dakota, my grandparents house, a condo in Vail, even once in my girlfriend's apartment. I've ridden this bike in the sun, in the rain, snow, sleet, hail once or twice, snowy mountain roads, freezing rainy decents, windy smelly roads, and through humidity so high it felt like you'd have to chew the air. On the saddle of this bike I've made friends, lost friends, worked for people, worked for my own cause, attacked pelotons, chased down break-aways, led out teamates, taken leadouts from teamates, watched people break bones, and watched the skin being torn from my own body parts. I slept with the handlebars of this bike a foot from my head, and slept with the bike hanging over my head. I've broken parts, and replaced parts, upgraded parts, and put better colored parts all over it. Tonight (or 7 days from now when the ebay auction ends) I say goodbye to a faithful companion.

OK, enough with the cheesiness. I'm in the process of buying a new frame and fork. I'm not disclosing just what it will be yet, or what it will look like, but I'll keep you all informed and tell you when the time is right. Also, if any of you are in the market for a 56cm Trek 5200 frameset, OCLV 120 frame and OCLV 110 fork with aluminum steerer, check out my link to my ebay auctions. The Chris King headset is not being sold with the bike, but I believe it will also be for sale, so if you're looking for a red 1 1/8" Chris King No-Threadset, I have one for sale. I do have an old Cane Creek S2 headset that I would be willing to include with the bike for an extra 10 bucks. I think that's all for now. Here are some pictures of some of my fonder memories of this bike.