By Erica

Today was the annual Bike Swap event in Madison. It’s run by the Brazen Dropouts Cycling Team, and it’s awesome. If you’re in Madison and bike, you better have been there. Various vendors filled a huge exhibition hall to sell new & used bike-related everything.

There are some really great deals. If I were building a bike, this is where I’d get the parts. I don’t know how to build a bike, though, and one of the things I really should do in the next year is get to know my bike better. If I had thought harder before going with Camila, Chris (Camila’s boyfriend & our training buddy & bike expert), and Eileen, I probably could have done better. But I still got some awesome things, like two red & black tires ($10 each!), some awesomely cheap apparel, brake pads, spare tubes, and arm warmers.  

Jealous? 

It was grueling, as you can imagine.  Afterwards, Eileen and I went on a long run through the Arboretum and back (11 miles, average pace 8:15).  It was a pretty cold day at 15 degrees, but the sun was shinning and people were out.  When we got back to Eileen’s and were standing on the porch, Eileen looked at me and started laughing. Because of this:

My hair had become home to chunks & chunks of ice.  It reminded me of when our family dog used to play in the snow and come back with snow blobs stuck to her fur like burrs. I love my asymmetrical haircut, but I’m thinking of cutting it all short after this. It’ll be easier and less dog-like.