Shaved Legs Are Better Than Prozac.

Today was spent in a bike shop.  I am once again in love.

About 48 hours ago, the bike bug bit me again and I suddenly wanted to be out on the road more than anything else.  Getting the bike repaired has gone all the way to the top of the priority list.  I miss my baby.

I will be replacing the cockpit that you see here.

It's amazing what a day spent thinking in millimeters and grams while rubbing elbows with skinny dudes who shave their legs will do for a girl.  My whole attitude has been coming around in the last 48 hours and today was a really good day.  I was energized and passionate about things.  Of course it I am now exhausted and ready for bed... but hey, it's progress.

I managed to work up a head of steam when the first two shops I tried were less than helpful and more than a little condescending.  Here is the quote from the twitter feed: Dear Arrogant Bike Shop Guy, Patronize me for one more second and I am going to rip this bent base bar off my bike and beat you senseless with it. I may not have DZsNutZ but I still have a clue, you knuckle dragging dickwickle.  But the important part is that I got worked up.  I haven't had that much energy in a while.  I haven't cared enough... until today.

The third and final shop I tried was wonderful.  It was a chain, Bicycle World of Houston, but when I walked in, it had a small local shop feel with a dedicated knowledgeable dude named Mike who pretty much rocked.  He took measurements, he considered angles, he noted every detail of what I liked and did not like about my current set up.  We chatted about bikes.  I showed him the picture of my broken shoe.  It was a happy day for the duck.

I'm still proud of this.  It takes real effort to break shoes like this!

I have a load of information to consider since there will be some changes made to the cockpit when the bar gets replaced.  It does appear that the bike did not fit correctly in the cockpit and that the handling and balance may have been compromised.  I can't say that this is the entire reason for the crashes but it was certainly not doing me any favors.  It appears that we can do quite a bit with the fit to improve the handling of the bike.  Thank goodness.  I think that if nothing else, even believing that I've improved things will help.  I haven't been on the bike since the last crash and need all the confidence I can get.

Hopefully I can be back on the road within the next 10 days.  While I wish I had not waited thirty days to start the repairs, I am not sorry that I waited until my desire returned.  I am still a little weak but getting better each day and now I am seeing my passion for the sport returning.  While I had not said much about it, I think the most distressing part of all of this was the total loss of desire.  Part of me wondered if it was going to come back.  Now I know for sure that it is.