Gearing up is hard to do.

I've been in training for my MS ride for almost a month now- and I feel completely unprepared. The 15 pounds I usually lose hasn't become lost yet, and my efforts at finally getting into the routine of training have been constantly thwarted by time constraints and chilly air.

I have, however, gotten out a fair amount- I have logged almost 150 miles so far, but I'm moderately disappointed with how much I've trained. I'm also thinking that I might spend the money this year, instead of next year, on an actual road bike, instead of the hybrid I have now (sorry the pic is so small, but that's me on my bike).

Don't get me wrong, though. I love my bike, but the problem I have is I'm sitting up on it. So if there's any wind, I catch it. This is fine if the wind is behind me, but if I'm going into the wind, I'm pretty well screwed. I'm huffing and puffing and wasting too much energy and, in the end, really hurting my already ailing knees.

So, knowing that my paycheck tomorrow should be rather large, I am spending today checking out prices on some bikes I am coveting. Namely, this beauty:

Which, of course, costs about $4000, before taxes, before pedals, and before shipping. Of course, this bike is absolutely beautiful and has a frame that weighs less than two pounds (that's less than a kilogram to my metric friends).

If I had that thing, I could ride for days without knowing it. Like the old saying, the older men get, the more expensive their toys.