New Bike Day!
In my ongoing search for a dopamine bump, mountain biking been a constant. The climb up floods my system with endorphins, the safety break at the top adds THC to the mix, and adrenaline kicks in as soon as I point the bike downhill. It doesn't hurt that Pacific Northwest riding tends toward winch and plunge--all up, then all down.
Admittedly, I've been one of those mountain bikers who've engaged in a little trash talk (
https://velo.outsideonline.com/road...you-and-your-adorable-baby-steps-into-gravel/) regarding the modern trend toward gravel bikes, which evolved from road bikes as roadies have become dirt curious. So I even surprised myself as the drop-bar, smooth-tired bikes started to grow on me. I hope I'm not over-romanticizing the aesthetic appeal of rolling deep into the forest just for the sake of covering miles, but as I age I'm realizing that exercise and time in the wild is doing more for my overall well-being than the adrenaline side of riding (though I'm certainly not giving that up). So, I built this:
I'm still not sure where this impulse originated, but this may have had some influence:
Now that the new bike is done, I'll be able to afford my VAS again. That new Simrell sure looks good for the safety breaks...
. Did you work on that game? Ever had an Amiga computer back in the day? 
