Tailwinds!  I had them most of today.  Rode out, then up a 3 mile gentle climb, 1000' with a big tailwind.  Then 600' up the other side with some.  Another 500' with a no big deal crosswind.  The big down with a strong crosswind (and a car following close.  I eased on the brakes because I did NOT want to go down in front of him.  (When will drivers figure out that if you give cyclists space, they are willing to go faster and the driver gets there sooner.)  Then a strong tailwind home!  my lucky day!

Challenge Strada tires with light tubes.  Nice tires!  Shades of really good tubbies!   Now I am using Conti thin butyls but latex is going in as soon as I can find valves I don't trip over.  The cornering on those tires?  OMG!    Rough surfaces?  It's easy to start looking for the bad stuff.  I rode the 30c Strada Biancas and latex tubes over the weekend.  With 60 psi, that bike was in air-cushion mode!

And quill stems.  So easy to adjust bar height.  (You did smear plenty of all-weather grease over the quill, bolt threads and wedge surfaces, didn't you?)  No skill required, no torque wrench.  One bolt to loosen and tighten.  A nice skinny stem that is easy to align with the front tire so it is always right while riding.  (And if it isn't, you can try again on the road without even thinking about a headset adjustment.)  I dropped the stem a cm just before I left.  It had been up for easy miles.  Felt perfect today.  Probably go down another cm in a few weeks as long as I do not have any comfort issues.  Probably back to where it is now for Cycle Oregon in September.  I love that I can just do it whenever and other issues never come up.

And lastly (I know, this is 4) bikes that fit and are sweet rides!  I love you, Jessica J!

Ben