N+1 is burning a hole in my pocket!

[Penny4]

If you go to the wedding, how long would it take you to save up for the bike?

When were you planning to buy the bike (assuming no wedding to go to)?

Just wondering if there is a way to accommodate both, even if you have to delay the bike a bit. Is it possible to shave any time off the trip (i know, this is hard b/c you prob have to travel day before, day after, etc). Can you share a room with someone?

Do you think your sister really wants you there? Forget about the backlash she might give you for not going, but do you think deep down in her heart, she wants you there?

It's a hard decision...families are tricky business, for sure....

[zoom-zoom]

If you go to the wedding, how long would it take you to save up for the bike?

When were you planning to buy the bike (assuming no wedding to go to)?

Just wondering if there is a way to accommodate both, even if you have to delay the bike a bit. Is it possible to shave any time off the trip (i know, this is hard b/c you prob have to travel day before, day after, etc). Can you share a room with someone?

Do you think your sister really wants you there? Forget about the backlash she might give you for not going, but do you think deep down in her heart, she wants you there?

It's a hard decision...families are tricky business, for sure....

It's really hard to say if she wants me there, or not. She's long been all about what can she get for free from family...lodging, childcare, birthday/Christmas/Mother's Day presents--all without ever reciprocating (in the case of holiday gifts she frequently buys stuff the day of the holiday and doesn't even bother wrapping...little-to-no thought/effort goes into gifts from my sister. She thinks it's down-right hilarious, of course). I'm sure there's part of her that does want me there, but there's a part of me that wonders what strings are attached. She is also the one who ALWAYS starts family drama. There was one occasion when we were all together--except for her--and we all independently came to the realization that it was the first time that everyone got along perfectly well and had a fabulous time--because she wasn't pitting anyone against anyone else. Ever since then we've all been sort of on-guard to her shenanigans.

Rooming with someone else isn't the big expense. I can get a nice room on the strip for $40/night. The flight, food, and other transportation around Vegas are what get a person. Vegas is ridiculous--they don't even have coffee makers or mini-fridges in the rooms, so there is no way to cut costs by eating leftovers or brewing coffee in-room. It's all Starbucks, all the time. A single person could easily expect to pay $40-50/day in food costs. Insane.

We'd been talking bike this Summer...maybe waiting to see what the 2013 models look like, if our LBS buddy can direct us on whether or not to pull the trigger in the next month or so or wait for late Summer/early Fall. With the wedding related expenses we'd probably have to wait until next year, which means no good way to go mountain biking with the rugrat for another year, even though he's ready now and he and I are probably not all that different in terms of ability (in large part because he's sorta fearless and surprisingly agile on the bike).

[zoom-zoom]

Well, this gets interesting. I just talked to my mom, mostly to find out what my brother's plans are, since I've messaged him a few times on FB about the possibility of planning flights so that I could be on the plane with him and his GF from Chicago to LV, and then back (a lot of flights out of Grand Rapids do their stop at O'Hare). He never replied, so I thought maybe he was just not seeing my messages.

Apparently he and his GF are not planning to go. The wedding is on a Weds. and he has a new job, so there is really no way that he can get away, per my mom.

So...now my only real incentive to go (hanging out with them, instead of the drunken miscreants) is gone. At this point my only incentive to go would be out of guilt/obligation, since there is now no one but me from our family able to go. To spend $1000+ for 3-4 days traveling alone and hanging out with my sister and her annoying friends...nuh, don't want to go there. And the Vegas Strip as a lone female just sounds really unwise, to begin with.

[smittykitty]

New Bike! No Guilt!!!!!! Move on. Problem Solved.


(Wish is was that easy)

[zoom-zoom]

New Bike! No Guilt!!!!!! Move on. Problem Solved.


(Wish is was that easy)

Ha, it may be that easy. She, of all people, should understand that $1000 to simply be in a wedding is a lot of dough for most of us. If she doesn't...well, it says more about her than about me.

[ny biker]

I'm with Smitty Kitty on this one. Whether you get the bike or not.

To review: you're talking about spending lots of cash and having a miserable time in order to keep a self-centered manipulative person from having a hissy fit.

[zoom-zoom]

To review: you're talking about spending lots of cash and having a miserable time in order to keep a self-centered manipulative person from having a hissy fit.

Pretty much. At almost 40 I really don't feel much like doing that.

[laura*]

Ha, it may be that easy. She, of all people, should understand that $1000 to simply be in a wedding is a lot of dough for most of us. If she doesn't...well, it says more about her than about me.

I thought about this all "day":

I suspect your sister believes her own "lies" about you. Perhaps in her mind you are a party animal just like her. Being 8 (?) hours away could mean that she isn't aware of how you live your life. This could be why you've been invited to LV.

[zoom-zoom]

So, what bike are you getting?

Most likely this one (or maybe 1 level down. Would I notice the difference between 9 speeds and 10?):
Cannondale Trail SL 2


The plan would be for me to ride it for a couple of years, then my DS would take over and I'd likely look at a 29er, assuming Cdale will offer them in smaller sizes in a couple of years.

[goldfinch]

You could now say that because the family can't go we will have a party/family gathering for you when you return. If you want to have a party.

I just test rode a Specialized Myka and a Jett. Jett was pricier but lighter. Nice bikes. It was fun trying them out by going up and over curbs, finding potholes, and parking barriers to cross. The smallest Cannondale was too big. (The bike shop where I tried the Cannondale said that it was the smallest mountain bike out there. I said no it wasn't, the Specialized ones were smaller and I couldn't even clear the top tube on the Cannondale. They didn't want to believe me. Pooh on salesman.)

[malkin]

Don't go anywhere or do anything out of guilt!

[Wahine]

It sounds like this problem has already been solved. But I'm with the others, screw the wedding. Guilt and obligation are never good reasons to do something.

Have fun with the new bike.

[zoom-zoom]

You could now say that because the family can't go we will have a party/family gathering for you when you return. If you want to have a party.

I just test rode a Specialized Myka and a Jett. Jett was pricier but lighter. Nice bikes. It was fun trying them out by going up and over curbs, finding potholes, and parking barriers to cross. The smallest Cannondale was too big. (The bike shop where I tried the Cannondale said that it was the smallest mountain bike out there. I said no it wasn't, the Specialized ones were smaller and I couldn't even clear the top tube on the Cannondale. They didn't want to believe me. Pooh on salesman.)

Yeah, my mom and I were talking about trying to get everyone together around the holidays and take the newlyweds (or affianced couple) out for a nice dinner to celebrate.

Cannondale makes some pretty small 26" bikes (my current mountain bike is a Petite/XS and my 4'9" DS actually fits it pretty well), but none of their 29ers are smaller than a size medium, which would be too big for me. I hope that will change, soon. If I could get a 2013 29er in a size S I may pull the trigger on that. Otherwise I'd get a 26er with the plan to ride it for a couple of years, then pass it down to my DS and hopefully Cdale will pull their heads out of their butts in the meantime.

[zoom-zoom]

It sounds like this problem has already been solved. But I'm with the others, screw the wedding. Guilt and obligation are never good reasons to do something.

Exactly. And I don't think my sister has ever done anything for anyone else out of obligation...so, really, why should I?

[zoom-zoom]

Does it have to be a Cannondale?

Sorta-kinda. We are VERY close to the guy who owns our LBS of choice--he's like family. Because we are JDRF team riders (LBS guy is one of the national JDRF ride team coaches, as well as our local coach) we also get a 20% discount on Cannondale frames, so there's 2 very major pieces of incentive to stick with Cannondale. I could pick up a Salsa 29er, too, but no discount...and they are relatively $$.