The last month has been a complete blur! I had a birthday, sold a bunch of bikes, made major progress with the shop, and I am actually about to have a vacation -- even if it is only for three days! Oh yeah -- my computer museum is almost finished!
I wish that I could say that there was one particular reason that I haven't made a blog entry lately. However, it is really just because I have been burned out. I work and sleep, and try to fit in a few moments of fun. I used to work seven days a week. Now I usually get two days off, yet I am more exhausted than ever! On the other hand, I am probably three times busier than I was when I worked more, so that makes sense. The store will have been open exactly five years on April 7th. I guess I am at the point where I want to enjoy my life a little. Why do we work so hard, after all?
This photo of Ali wasn't taken on my birthday -- it was actually from a birthday party for someone else a few weeks earlier. However, I like it. It is my blog, so I can do whatever I want with it! Speaking of my birthday, Ali tried to have a surprise party for me with her family. On the way, I basically realized what was going on. However, she TOTALLY caught me off guard a few days later. She told me she was taking me out for dinner the night of my birthday. After work, we drove to one of our favorite local restaurants. A few seconds after walking in, I said in my head, 'Wow -- Rich is here. What a coincidence... and Keaton is beside him. What are the odds?..." When I saw Brad, I finally realized what was going on. She had pulled it off completely, and I never saw it coming! Thanks, Ali!!! On top of that, she bought me a Primo grill/smoker -- it was a perfect birthday!
I have been totally wrapped up in my world of antique computers, emulators, programming, and basic technology insanity. I wish I could mention everything I have been working on, but it would bore you to tears, and it would prove that I have completely lost it! At right is one example of my collection of vintage computers -- an Apple II+. Why? Who knows? All I know is that I am not the only one with this addiction.
Check out ventriloquist Jeff Dunham's obsession:
Ali has put me to shame with her ability to fly the helicopter I bought her. Oh yeah? Well, guess who won't get any toys in the future?! HAHA!
Ali, Keaton, and I went to the Atlanta Oysterfest a few weeks ago -- that was a blast! Ali was on a mission to open every oyster. I am proud to say that we accomplished that goal! Speaking of which, Ali's family had a seafood festival of their own. Her parents brought a ton of food, which Ali threw together. Am I lucky or what?!!! I swear, there is nothing she can't cook!
I am constantly asked if Ali and I have a date set for our wedding. We have narrowed down the "where" -- Palmetto Bluff in South Carolina. We actually went there during our trip to Beaufort, and we were blown away! Don't get me wrong, I am not normally excited by such things (by "such things," I mean weddings). However, this place has it all. I cannot believe that I am lucky enough to have my marriage at a resort like this! Now we have to find an opening this fall/winter. The truth is that this is Ali's day. As I have told her family, I just want an invitation and to know when and where I need to be! HA! It certainly isn't because I don't care. I just want it to be everything that she has always wanted.
What is going on with the shop? Well, it has been absolutely crazy. However, I have made it a priority to get the winter projects completed, even with as busy as we have been. We have removed the glue from the floor, and we are ready to buff it before I apply the acid stain and coating. I am excited! More importantly, the second shop is almost finished! It should be done in a few weeks! The cabinets have been installed, so I just need to apply polyurethane and bolt on the countertops. Amazing how far we have come!
Beer. Mark Hamill approved.
Well, time to finish packing. This video I found was pretty cool:
Wikipedia defines 5150 as "a section of the California Welfare and Institutions Code which allows a qualified officer or clinician to involuntarily confine a person deemed to have a mental disorder that makes them a danger to him or her self, and/or others and/or gravely disabled." There is an incredible irony here. Besides being the title of one of the most famous Van Hagar albums (theree is only one Van Halen!), it was also the model number of the first IBM Personal Computer -- the PC. Why is this ironic? Because most of my friends would state that I have gone insane, and that I might need to be committed! With Ali's blessing, I am very close to completing my museum of 80's computers.(Given all of her AMAZING qualities, that is definitely her best trait -- she accepts me COMPLETELY for who I am. It makes me a better person every day). It sounds completely insane (and probably is), but I have been on a mission the past few months to acquire a working model of every computer which meant something to me in my youth. If it has a hard drive or doesn't use a 5 1/4" floppy disk, I don't want it!
Don't get me wrong... I have a passion for the latest computer hardware. My home and work computers are blindingly fast, and my gaming laptop is equally powerful. I even picked up an ASUS Transformer Prime tablet (with detachable keyboard) last week. I LOVE technology and the newest computer hardware! However, I have always been fascinated with computers. I learned on Apple II Plus, IIe, and IIc computers, as well the orignal Macintosh. I was also around CPM machines and basically everything else. I cannot explain my fascination with the old computers, nor will I try to. It is my insanity. However, I am close to having the full collection. As luck would have it, the 5150 is more sought after than most of the models I have been collecting, and so is the IBM 5160 (XT). The search continues!
Not only have I have I been playing with my new toys, but I have also found emulators and virtual machines to experiment with. It is amazing what can be found on the web! The Apple IIe emulator I located is simply amazing! One minute I am running Windows 7 on a i5 3.2GHz processor, and the next thing I know, it is transformed into a 1984 Apple! Without software, it would be a useless. I have that, too! I am having the time of my life, even if I have been teleported 30 years into the past! HA! Not many people can say they were programming in Pascal on a virtual Apple IIe while sailing on Lake Lanier in January. Sadly, I can make that claim.
Speaking of January, where did it go? For the first time since I started writing this blog, I went an entire month without making a post. The shop has been crazy -- far busier than I ever could have expected! I have been taking care of repairs, while I let Alan, Aaron, and Nick tackle the winter projects. The new repair area is really coming along. The new stand has been bolted into the floor (thanks to Bob), and we are almost done painting the walls. We still have a lot to do, but we are making progress day by day. When all is said and done, we will have four complete workstations, and a separate bench for wheel builds and truing. Even though I have two benches at the moment, I am constantly needing to take a repair out of one to do quick fixes, etc. Having one room for repairs and another for on-the-spots is going to make things much more efficient. I can't wait! Plus, we will have cabinets above and below each station. Organization!
Life was crazy during the past month. One weekend, Ali's cousin was here from Colorado, so we went out on the town. About ten of us rented a limo and hit several of the bars -- it was a long night! Actually, it was a long three days! Her other cousin Frank was unable to join us from Los Angeles, so he sent us the video below. He is AMAZINGLY talented!
I attended a two-day seminar down by the airport put on by Park Tool. I really learned a lot there! We rebuilt FOX and RockShox forks, as well as Cane Creek shocks. I do most of those quite often, but I certainly learned some tricks. We found out how to install Shimano Ultegra and Campagnolo Record electronic shifting. It was a very valuable experience. However, the most valuable things I learned were how to be a true bike mechanic. I need three of the following, apparently:
Facial hair
Funky glasses
Tattoos
Skinny jeans
Bedazzled jeans (or skinny bedazzled jeans)
Earrings (my four holes are still open after 15+ years!)
Someday I will be a decent mechanic, once I get the fashion part down. Until then, I will just have to stick with having the best reputation in Atlanta. Oh well -- a boy can dream...
I built this BMC time trial bike last week with full Dura Ace Di2 electronic shifting. I took my time with the routing and I was completely blown away by how clean it came out! From a distance, you would never know that it is electronic, even though the frame is not made specifically made for it. I was very happy with the results!
I almost forgot -- we are now a dealer for Litespeed bicycles! Our first models should be arriving next week! My goal has always been to have the #1 shop in Atlanta, with the best selection of bikes and accessories. Adding Litespeed is one more step in that direction!
Have you seen these? No comment, although I am vibrating like Butthead when he could no longer scream "FIRE!!!"...
What a difference five years can make! Too many people now know the feeling of being called into an office with their boss, only to be told that they are part of the company "downsizing." I certainly know what that is like. As my manager said those words, everything slowed down and I felt like I was in a vacuum. I saw his lips moving, but I heard nothing. I noticed the surroundings -- the projector in the conference room, the pad of paper and pencil on the table. I was numb. I knew that day would come eventually, but that doesn't make it any easier. Before I even had a chance to plan my next move (literally), I was whisked away into the HR office to sign paperwork, etc. The poor woman was crying, since she had been through this process so many times before, and faced doing it many more times.
Amazingly, I was actually relieved. Finally! It was like a burden being lifted. I was bored out of my skull in my job, and I just knew that I would be if I had to take another cubicle position. I love building and breaking things, diagnosing problems, and correcting the issues. Endless paperwork was definitely NOT the reason I worked so hard to get my degrees. The only engineering I ever saw was while I was preparing for design reviews or sitting through endless meetings (for design reviews). I just sat there and said. "Really? We are reviewing the SAME exact design as we did two weeks ago. If that one passed, how come we now have five action tasks if NOTHING has changed?" I realized at that point that the root problem was that people were creating work to prove that they were value-added. In other words, to keep their jobs! That is the problem with the corporate world (in my opinion) -- the job is primarily to keep the job. The further up the ladder they climb, the more true this becomes. No one is really accountable -- certainly not at the CEO level. If the company fails, so what? Whatever they did during their time at the company, it experiment and they get a golden parachute.
That lifestyle just wasn't for me. So when the woman in the HR department started telling me about the career counseling and resume classes being offered for free, I literally said, "Thank you, but I am going to open a bike shop. I already have a side business, so I am going to see where that takes me." She looked at me in disbelief -- I must have been in shock from finding out moments before that I was being laid-off, right? I didn't care how crazy it appeared, I knew right then and there that I was going to create my own destiny. As was required, I was led into an adjoining room with another woman with the career building information. I took the information packet I was given, but I politely told her that I was not going to be needing it.
I must have appeared crazy to those people! In retrospect, I definitely was crazy! I had no finances to draw from, except a small severance package. I had bills galore, a relationship on the rocks -- even my dog had recently died (to round it out and make the beginnings of a good country song! HA!). In other words, the only thing I knew for sure was that I might be making the biggest mistake of my life!!! Rather than rehash what I went through (the story is fully told in the posts of this blog), let's just say that I made it!!!
It took five years of constant struggle, stress, and sacrifice. There were definitely times when I didn't know if it would be worth the effort. However, I never stopped giving 110% every day. I am my own worst critic, which drove me to always make sure that "good enough" was not good enough. As Alan has told other employees, I am hypercritical, but I am not hypocritical. I just want to build the best shop in Atlanta -- it is really that simple.
2011 was literally the best year of my life! Although the business has always made money (basically since day one), it is on incredibly secure footing now. I am hoping to have the showroom 90% completed by spring (if we ever have a slow day!). Most importantly, I met the woman I will be marrying in 2012. Yes, you read that correctly -- I AM ENGAGED!!! To make a long story short, I asked Ali to marry me last Thursday, in front of 20+ people (family and friends). It was really special because I asked her at her uncle Tommy's house -- the uncle who introduced us when he was a customer. Only her parents and her brother's girlfriend knew what I was going to do -- her mother even brought a champagne glass from her wedding for me to place the ring in. It was a total shock to Ali (see photo)!!! Amazingly, I didn't mess it up!
I thought this week would be slow and relaxing, but that was a completely WRONG assumption! It was absolutely crazy! I completed the Gunnar Roadie build, performed multiple tune-ups, and even sold three bicycles!!! All in just four days! Needless to say, I need a break. We were closed today (New Year's Eve), and of course will be closed tomorrow. I am taking off Monday for some R&R.
One present we received at the shop was the return of Aaron as an employee -- much needed! He came back just in time, and plans to stay for the next few years while he attends Georgia State. It was definitely nice to have a "plug & play" employee this week!
Aaron mentioned VirtualBox to me, so I couldn't resist checking it out. WOW! I can run so many operating systems now without having to reboot -- just run them as a virtual machine! I have already loaded Ubuntu and Solaris. I will be experimenting with Fedora Linux and even load up the OS2 Warp which Alan gave me a few weeks ago. He did it as a joke, given my penchant for my 20-30 year-old computers! HA!
Of course, my year wouldn't be complete without a New Year's Eve operating system crash. Apparently I destroyed the Windows 7 64-bit on my home computer this afternoon. Luckily, the few files I have on that system are still intact (I think!). I just have to load up one of my drives with Windows 7 and add a few files. Since I run almost everything remotely on my shop computer (I am doing that now from Tommy's house while Ali and I prepare for the New Year), I never have much to worry about if my system crashes. Well, unless it is the shop computer, which happened a few weeks ago. Time to learn about RAID!
Speaking of failures, but pond pump failed after at least five years of constant running. What is life without unexpected expenses? Luckily the temperature is cool, so the fish can survive a few days without aeration until the new pump arrives.
Ali and I went to get one of the presents she got me for Christmas today -- a Motorola Droid Razr! Since one of my programs at Motorola was the battery for the original Razr phone, it is cool to have another MOT product. I waited FOREVER to decide on a new phone (I STILL have a 3G iPhone!). I think I made the right decision. Since I am so familiar with Android now, having rooted my Android, I was ready to convert. It only took me a few minutes to figure out how to move over my contacts (even without iTunes!), so I am fully converted now. She bought me some AMAZING toys (REAL toys) this year! I am so lucky!
Speaking of Ali, I found out that she set the record for the most leads generated by a new hire! Amazing! Actually, I am not surprised at all. Zero technology experience, yet she is already at the top of her group. If you wonder why I have absolutely no respect for the "occupiers," I'll tell you why. I succeeded by myself, against all odds. Ali made her own "luck." If you want something in life, you can have it. Plain and simple.
I encountered yet another computer problem while trying to get on the wireless network at Tommy's today. I have never logged in here with this computer, but I always use wireless everywhere else without an issue. However, I just couldn't log in. This laptop is OLD (Windows XP), but all it has to do is be a terminal for my shop computer -- the one with the horsepower. My Nook logged onto the network without a problem, and so did my new Razr. Using my Nook I found the problem. I had XP with Service Pack 2, but I did not have WPA2 for network authentication. I was able to find an Ethernet connection in the house, which allowed me to download the correct Windows patch. That was the trick! I am used to this by now -- nothing is EVER easy! HA!
Absolutely hilarious! Bieber in a nutshell.
As we close out the year, I want to wish all of my wonderful customers and supporters a wonderful New Year! I have no doubts that 2012 is going to be even more amazing!
For no particular reason, here is the last video post of the year...
As I sit here and try to decide what to write, I cannot forget to mention how thankful I am for everything I have, since I haven't posted anything since before Thanksgiving. I am entering 2012 completely in the black. I have no personal or business debt -- everything you see in the store I own. This is not bragging -- not in the slightest. Believe me -- when I opened the shop less than five years ago, only a fool would have tried. I was not in any financial position to take such a risk. I had just been laid off, and I had plenty of bills (to say the least). I honestly had no idea what I was getting myself into, and I can say without hesitation that I would not have tried it knowing what I now know. Put simply, it was an absolutely crazy idea! I guess the old saying that "ignorance is bliss" is true! However, I did have a few things on my side. The most important was a belief in myself. Looking back, probably the only person who believed in me back then as much as I did was my stepfather. He was more proud of my shop than he was of my engineering degrees, even though he had two degrees himself! I wish he was here now to see how far I have come.
Along the way, I have heard all of the sayings thrown around by other shop owners to validate why they "can't" (and don't) succeed. "We aren't in it for the money" or "We all know there is no money in bikes -- we do it because we are passionate about them." Seriously? Sounds like a defeatist attitude if you ask me. More correctly, if you fail, you already have a built-in excuse -- "I knew that I wasn't going to succeed." Sorry, but I didn't give up a large part of my life in school and ten years in a career just to throw it all away because I am really into bikes. Call me crazy, but I would MUCH rather dabble in bikes on the side, and know that my bills are paid with a 9-5 job. I did not start a shop to fail. Lucky for me, I didn't.
Along those lines, Adam Carolla nails it in this rant. If you are easily offended by vulgarity or common sense, you probably shouldn't listen...
2011 was the best year of my life. The main reason was meeting Ali. She believed in me even when I barely believed in myself. Although we met after four years of my owning the shop, I know that she would have truly believed in me since day one. Being successful at anything can be tricky. Are your friends really around you because they like you, or do they like your toys or the lifestyle you lead? Dating is even worse. Can you really expect someone to stay with you during the years of stress? On the other hand, don't you want to know that they would? I found someone who would have stuck by me during all of the hard and trying times, yet she did not have to.I could not have met a better match.
I am extremely grateful for everything and everyone in my life.
Ali and I had a wonderful Thanksgiving with her family. The food was amazing, and it was great spending time with everyone. Brad and I rode in the morning. I was surprised that I still had something -- riding to work a few times a week was a huge help. But it also proved that I had a long way to go if I wanted to reclaim my old form. Taking the four days off for the holiday allowed me to have the mental break I needed so badly, but it really was too short. Ali was wonderful and gave me the days I needed to play with my computers. In return, I took her to the UGA/Tech game. Well, we tried to go, but there just weren't any tickets -- even from scalpers. Of course, my uncle and cousin managed to get seats on the 50 yard line at the last minute, but we weren't as lucky. We did have a wonderful afternoon bar-hopping. It was a great holiday weekend!
Speaking of Ali, I have to say how insanely proud I am of her! She just started her second month on the job, yet she is leading her coworkers for the most sales leads generated for December! She had zero tech experience, and many of the people she works with have years of experience in the field. It was obvious that Dell had a lot of confidence in her when they hired her, and I certainly did, but her results are beyond comprehension! Even with my technical background, I couldn't sell the way she does. Simply amazing!
As I mentioned, I worked on my computers a lot. Mostly with my Nook, trying to install Ubuntu and Honeycomb. I failed with Ubuntu, but I was successful with the CM7 lod (and I LOVE it!). I literally spent large parts of several days trying to figure out why I couldn't communicate with the Nook via the ADB USB connection. Finally, I realized that it was the Windows 7 64-bit operating system -- it worked fine when I hooked it up to my netbook which uses Windows XP. 64 bits HAS to be better than 32, right? Not necessarily. I have encountered many similar issues with the 64-bit version of Windows 7. I am glad that I have other computers available with the previous versions of Windows -- I have needed them often. Even though I was finally able to successfully communicate via USB, I was never able to get Ubuntu loaded. I don't really care -- except that it is a challenge!!! We shall see if I continue on my quest... At least I have a fully functioning tablet with running on Honeycomb! It wasn't a complete waste of time (it never is)!
Speaking of computer fun, I crashed my shop computer two weeks ago. It was completely my fault, and I am embarrassed to admit what happened. However, it was amazing how quickly I was able to resurrect the system. I had the foundation back online in an hour or so, and everything was back online within a day! I have had so much practice over the past few years setting static IP addresses, fixing network issues, and correcting my own errors that it really doesn't scare me any more. As long as I have the raw data backed up, everything else just takes patience.
As for the rest of the shop, it has been absolutely crazy the past few weeks! Here are just some of the builds I have completed in the past month:
25" Ventana El Rey 29'er
Ventana El Saltamontes 650b/26"
Santa Cruz Tallboy Carbon
Santa Cruz Tallboy AL
BLUE RD1 flat bar conversion
Sprocket carries his toy everywhere!
Basically, I have been trying to finish/post this blog entry for the past several weeks -- I have just been so busy! Christmas is almost here, yet you would think it is the middle of summer (not to mention the temperature being over 70)! I have no complaints. Sure, I want to complete several winter projects and upgrades, but the whole purpose of those is to improve the shop. If things are already rocking, that is definitely not a priority! The focus should be on customer service, first and foremost. That means doing what we say we will do and on time. Everything else is secondary. If the warehouse isn't perfect, it will still be waiting when I have time.
This should be a great weekend. Went clothes shopping for the first time in forever with Ali-- for REAL clothes! Not just jeans/shorts/T-shirts. Grown-up clothes! HA! We have a party to attend tonight, so that should be nice. Tomorrow is more winter brewing at Brad's (Ali is so tolerant! HA!). Then one more week of hard work -- a Gunnar Crosshairs and a Niner Air Carbon with XTR to build. I am hoping to have some quality relaxation time during the week between Christmas and the New Year -- just me and Ali... and my computers... HAHA!
Time for this song again. It is just so darn true for me!!!
About a week and a half ago, my (rooted) Nook Color started having problems with the Android Market. I couldn't load any new applications, nor update any of my existing apps. I tried everything I could, but nothing worked. Reluctantly, I decided to wipe the Nook clean and start fresh. This process is very simple, but time consuming. I reloaded the original software (1.2), updated to 1.3, then rooted the unit. Everything worked perfectly... or so it seemed. I loaded all of my favorite apps -- Netflix, Kindle, etc. All of the programs worked perfectly -- until I rebooted the Nook. After performing a restart, the Nook would remain in an infinite loop and never turn on. Amazingly, I remained patient. I searched and searched on Google -- trying to find a resolution, or at least a possible cause for the problems I was having. The issue I always have when I encounter these glitches is that the answer is out there -- IF you know the correct phrase to use for your search. However, that is far easier said than done. I put the Nook aside and decided to come back to it.
Working six days a week, I rarely have time to just relax and tackle problems any more. Working in the corporate world, it was easy. Weekends came and I was able to accomplish anything -- I had two full days at my disposal. Even weekdays allowed time for completing projects -- if I wasn't riding my bike or jet ski after leaving the office at 5PM, I could do anything. I am certainly not complaining, but my schedule is a little tighter now. Even waking at 7AM does not guarantee an easy day. I am usually on the computer checking my emails first thing after waking. No matter what, my days are always longer than I anticipate -- usually going in to the shop earlier than I had intended because of some fire needing to be put out. Every day is WFO (a term from my days racing motocross as a kid -- "Wide F*cking Open"). When the day is over, I am worn out. My body is tired, but my brain is even worse. I don't have the energy to focus on my computer projects. Today I had a chance to just sit down and work undisturbed on the Nook.
I had a few theories about the reason for the reboot issues, so I reloaded the Nook with a fresh install and started attacking the problem. Over and over I would install all of the software. Everything worked went smoothly until I would reboot -- the unit would lock up. Reloading everything takes about 20-30 minutes, but I am persistent when I encounter these problems. While waiting for the software installation, I would perform searches on Google for possible solutions. After almost ten tries, I finally found a possible solution. I noticed that everything would work until after the Market update. Research found that the Adobe Air and Flash updates were causing similar problems with other rooted Nooks, and the symptoms matched. Finding the cause was great, but it took me another hour to find the solution! That is the "fun" part of computer problems -- it can take a full day to find the answer, but implementation of the fix usually takes seconds! Regardless, I am happy to report that my Nook is fully functional again! Not only that, but I learned a lot along the way...
I am "lucky" to have all of the years of experience I have had working on bikes. It isn't rocket science by any stretch of the imagination (nor engineering! HA!), but bike repair can definitely present problems which can be just as frustrating as any other profession. Having worked on thousands of bikes over the years does have benefits -- I can often diagnose an issue just by a noise, without ever touching the bike. This only comes from experience. I can only imagine how aggravated my customers often become before bringing a bike in for something I appear to repair in minutes. They don't realize that those "minutes" actually took years in reality. I have to remind myself of this when I am battling a computer issue. Luckily, with enough perseverance, most issues can be resolved. It just takes time -- a lot of time!
This weekend was great -- very relaxing. The women in Ali's family were having a morning at the spa followed by lunch, but I was invited down to join them for breakfast. I think Ali's family gets good use out her past life as a bartender -- nothing like a bloody Mary first thing in the morning! HA... The day at the shop was great. Alan was a huge help -- we sold a FELT mountain bike which he built while I put the finishing touches on the custom 25" Ventana El Rey (customer is 6'9"!). That was the second Ventana with XTR I have completed this week! I also built yet another set of Stan's tubeless rims on Chris King (gold) hubs -- I have one more set to lace this week. What a month so far!
After work yesterday, Ali and I went Kevin's 4th birthday party -- it seems like he was only born yesterday! His favorite toys in the world are Legos, so we bought him a airplane kit. As expected, he received several other Lego kits as well. Brad is very smart -- he dared Jerom, Sergej, and myself to build them. I had never built a Lego set in my life -- how difficult could it be?... HA!... A few hours later I finally completed the task. Seeing that Kevin was doing his best to impersonate Godzilla and tearing apart the other kits they had just finished, I decided to capture the plan for posterity with my iPhone. It will never look that way again, I am sure!
Ever wonder what Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" would have sounded like if Faith No More had performed it? Wonder no more:
I don't know if I am worn out from the workload, working six days a week most of the year, the constant fluctuation of the temperature, or a combination of all three. Regardless, I was definitely glad that I was able to get mostly caught up today. Next week is going to be hectic with the arrival of frames and parts for several builds, so I needed a little break. Although today was relatively slow, I did have a sale of a pair of PowerCranks and checked in a tune-up, so it was a good day! Otherwise, I finished what I could on the 25" Ventana El Rey (the customer is 6'9"!!!), completed a tune-up, and tied up some loose ends around the shop. I definitely have a cold of some sort, so I will be crashing early tonight. The remaining parts arrive tomorrow for the Ventana, and he is picking it up in the evening -- I am hoping all goes according to plan!
I finished Lee's Ventana El Saltamontes bike yesterday -- it is gorgeous! The hubs and headset are both Chris King, and the drivetrain is Shimano XTR. He decided to build it as a 1x10, with a 650B front wheel and a 26" rear. We used an X-Fusion Velvet set to 650B for the fork -- the bike came out great! Personally, I am a fan of the larger front wheel with a traditional 26" rear. My Carver uses a 29"/26" combination, and I am planning to build a Ventana El Chucho this spring with that configuration. I feel very lucky to have been able to build so many custom bikes over the years, and I seem to be selling more each month as time goes on. I am very fortunate that so many of these builds have been the result of referrals from satisfied customers!
I am really looking forward to Thanksgiving! I am hoping to close early Wednesday if it is slow, then I will have FOUR DAYS off! That doesn't sound like much, but that is an eternity to me! I figure that I have another year or two at this pace, then I will search for a top-end mechanic to take much of the load off me so that I can focus on growing the business. It is so hard to believe that it has almost been five years! The shop has definitely grown beyond my wildest expectations! I didn't have to Occupy Norcross to make it happen, either -- nothing but hard work!
Hopefully next week will revive me. I know that the winter will be over before I know it and we will be right back into the heart of the season. If I am lucky, Ali and I will be able to take a few short weekend trips before the insanity begins again!
I can honestly say that I am a bike commuter now. For the past several weeks, I have ridden my bicycle to work more than I have driven. I decided that I was tired of making excuses. I now have a garage at the shop where I can park one of my trucks, so I can always have a vehicle there to run errands if needed. I have a 1500 lumen headlight (Serfas TSL-1500), which confuses the living hell out of drivers -- "That can't be a bike!" I just bought a FELT F85 road bike for the 9-mile commute, so it was time to start riding! I rode the first sub-40 degree day last week -- not great, but not horrible. I can handle just about anything for 30-40 minutes, so I was determined not to wimp out. I won't necessarily ride every day, but I will definitely keep it up! The heavy rain today was definitely a good excuse to drive!
Ali started at Dell last week -- I am so proud of her! Apparently she was the only one hired out of 100 applicants! That is simply amazing! How exactly was I lucky enough to get her?! Life is good, and I have no complaints. She calls me each morning on her way to work, so I am getting up and accomplishing a lot before work. Working 11-7PM sounds like an idyllic schedule, but think about it for a minute... The morning can easily get away from you (believe me!), and the next thing you know you are at work. The day ends and all of a sudden you are at home and too worn out to do anything. Just as being a business owner takes discipline, so does maintaining a "normal" life with those business hours. Additionally, I am not just rolling into the shop at 11AM. I have already been online checking emails and taking care of loose ends, running errands to Blue or Lowe's, etc. It isn't just fun and games, but it is fulfilling.
We had an incredible time at the cabin with Ali's family the weekend before last! They rented one in Blue Ridge for the family, so we had been excited for several months! The only problem was that the weekend was over far too quickly. When I arrived and saw the pool and foosball table downstairs, I knew that I was going to be able to survive! HA! We definitely weren't roughing it! When I came upstairs Saturday morning for breakfast, her family saw my "Bacon Strips &" T-shirt and was basically like, "How cute! He loves bacon!..." I decided not to mention Epic Meal Time as the real reason behind it! HAHA!...
We went downtown, then five of us went on a six-mile hike (round-trip) on the Benton MacKaye Trail to the Swinging Bridge. I must admit that neither running nor riding use the same muscle groups as hiking through the mountains! We were battling time since we had to make it back before dark -- we basically just made it. A big dinner, the LSU-Alabama game, and I was done for! It was an exhausting day, but definitely worth it!
Having a full weekend was great, but I am really looking forward to Thanksgiving. It is going to be a huge dinner with Ali's family, so that will be fun. Even though Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping insanity, my shop is usually dead the day after Thanksgiving. I have decided that the store will be closed that day, and one of my guys can run it over the weekend. I am thoroughly burned-out, so I need a break.
You might think that things have slowed down here, but nothing could be further from the truth! I have two custom Ventana bikes which are almost done. We have two Santa Cruz builds coming down the pipe. Two complete Surly bikes are arriving next week which were sold last week, and a Gunnar frame is being built for delivery in the coming weeks. We are also in the talks with another Gunnar custom build. Amazing!!! Oh yeah -- let me not forget the Blue RD1 being picked up this Friday. I have zero complaints about the shop. Things are good!
Last Monday night I went to the Foo Fighters concert with Peter. Originally, I had tickets for Ali and myself, but we decided that it might not be a good idea for her to show up at her second day of work exhausted from a late night at a concert! HA... I wish she could have gone, but there will be plenty of other opportunities. Peter and I had a great time -- my ears literally rang for two days afterward. I do have a question, though. Take a look at the photo I took from our seats, and the one below it, which Joseph sent me from his seats. Is there something wrong with that picture (literally)? HA!!! I still had a great time, regardless -- even if I was just a LITTLE jealous...
Argh!!! At least I caught it! Luke's guys were able to replace it that day, so we were only an hour late leaving Atlanta. With two Land Rovers, the odds of my still having to ride a bike to work are quite high!!!
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