Thought I'd play with you folks just a little bit ... but, I'm also embarassed to admit I have yet another bike - I'm so spoiled.

Yep, it's the Saluki. I named him Waldo the Wonder Bike, my All-Terrain Vehicle. Tons of clearance for big fat tires. He's sporting 35 mm Panaracer Col de la Vie tires, and between those and the Brooks saddle with springs, he's a veritable Barcalounger. Very smooth ride on rutty and bumpy roads, and I've taken him out on dirt and gravel paths which I previously either felt very insecure riding on, or avoided alltogether. A very fun ride.

Oh, and he's gorgeous, painted a lustrous deep candy-apple red, with the headtube and the lug cut-outs filled in with a nice cream color. Very very purty indeed. ( Yes I'll post photos - I've been messing around with the bar tape so I thought I'd wait until he's looking his best. He's rather vain that way. )

I was hoping to have him in time for my as-yet-unreported tour of the Olympic Peninsula & Vancouver Island, but delivery fell way behind schedule and it became obvious I would have to take Pokey instead. Perversely, the day before we left I got The Call from Riv that my Saluki was ready ( gee, thanks guys ). So while we were on our tour (yeah yeah yeah I'll start on the report tonight) every time we'd ride over a bumpy road or a gravel path I'd be moaning about how I wish I had my Saluki. That said, Pokey worked out fine - the Saluki just would have been better. And I appreciate Waldo all the more now.

- Jo