Cargo Bike Gang

Thursday night, 5:23pm: My phone rings and it's Jess.

"Where are you?"

"Where are *you*?" I reply.

"You're outside stalking me, aren't you."

"No of course not. That's totally beneath me."

But of course I was lying. I kidnapped her after work and we headed down to the Lucky Lab for the 2nd meeting of the Long Tail Cargo Bike club*  Since I got the Dummy I've started getting more followers on Twitter, one of whom is Crunchy Sue.  She PM'd me earlier in the day to see if I was going, so when my sis canceled her visit, I decided to run down, even though I'm pretty tired of going to SE every day (but that's another story).

We had a fun time checking out all the different configurations of hauling machines. I thought I was small to have a Dummy, but Sue is even shorter.  She has 24" wheels to lower the bike and it seems to work great for her.  In the last batch of BD frames that came out, there were seventeen 16" frames made.  Corey said he got the email on Friday that they were available to order, and when he called on Saturday morning, there were five left.  I wonder who the other sixteen people are who got the other frames.  I was surprised the number was so small. I guess maybe they think not a lot of tiny people want to haul stuff.

We got a little distracted from our group because we ran into Janis (of PDOT fame) and spent some time hanging out and catching up with her.  She and her bf both have Long Haul Truckers, though not in the same color.  Janis has a pink accessory theme going that includes fenders, helmet and even pink Ortliebs.  It was totally hot. 

Jess and I always feel better when we meet other couples with matching bikes.  The fact that we are selling our old commuter bikes and getting new ones and they're *still* going to match is a little bit...something.  I've long since stopped caring though and I'm constantly encouraging her to 'embrace the dorkness.'   She also has a hot color theme going; blue fenders, bar tape, CK headset and bottle cages.  It won't be long before her red Ortliebs are replaced with blue ones. Anyone have a set they'd like to trade?  I don't think she's ready to ride around on a 'red, white and blue' bike--even if the election comes out like we so desperately need it to (but that's another post).

Also in Janis's party was our little friend Benjamin, whom we met at a party Janis put on a few weeks ago.  He'd grown so much since then, we hardly recognized him. He's four months old, and getting cuter by the minute.  His cheeks are just about ripe for the plucking. 

After bike-geeking, baby ogling and photo ops, we headed back to NoPo for grub and rest.  The next day, I was surprised (though I shouldn't have been) to see a front page feature on our little group on Bike Portland.  Pretty soon I'm sure the right-wing/oil industry/anti-bike pinheads will be getting together to figure out what to do about the threat of the 'Xtracycle Agenda.' Or the Gay Agenda of lesbians who ride Xtracycles. Or something like that.