I don’t know anything about bikes. I just know I like to ride and I never want to own a car again. I don’t care if it’s a tricycle, a mountain bike, or a motorbike. I like the open air and the speed. I like the feeling of childhood carefree freedom. I like doing bunny hops. I like jumping curbs. I like riding through mud puddles even though I only have one pair of pants and probably shouldn’t do that.
But back to the not knowing anything about bikes thing. I bought a bike at a swap meet a few weeks ago for 180 PLN (that’s like $55 USD). The front brake didn’t work and the gears didn’t shift well, but it was a solid piece of machinery.
Except pretty much every time I rode it for more than a couple hours I’d get a flat.
That was annoying.
I asked the guy at the closest bike shop (who also served as my tire tube replacement guy) if there was something wrong or if I needed a new tire. He said no, it looks good.
But I finally got fed up and asked my HTLA members (in passing) if they knew anything about bikes. I got a lot of awesome responses. Long story short: I took the bike to a different shop and the guy said the tire was jacked up and needed replacing. It was a 2.5km walk to this bike shop as opposed to the 0.5km walk to the bike shop I had been going to. Which one will I continue going to? Probably the one that fixed my bike. ;)
And before you get on my case for not changing my own tire tubes: it’s 20PLN (~$6USD) for a new tube and the labor. New tire and tube and labor? 50PLN. :)
Enough about bikes. Oh wait. Thinking about biking Route 66 next year. I’ll have to learn a little more about bikes before then.
OK, enough about bikes. Sweet linkage awaits!
After 15 Years of Practice by Derek Sivers
You know how I mentioned before that there is only one person I would ever work for? I lied. There are 2. Derek Sivers is my hero and I have done my best to devour every piece of content he has created over the past few years.
I was a CDBaby customer back in the day and I remember reading the bios and thinking “wow, this Derek guy is a genius.” Little did I know at the time how right I was. haha
Fuck it. I’m dedicating this week to Derek Sivers. Other sweet links will have to wait.
5 more must-read articles on Sivers.org:
Why I gave away my company to charity by Derek Sivers
By putting his company in a trust and selling it for $22 million Derek did something most of us could never imagine doing. Yes, he does get 5% of that paid to himself every year out of the trust, but if you dwell on that fact you’re missing the point.
Trust but verify by Derek Sivers
Lessons on delegation from a guy who has been living the world traveling laptop life since most of us were in diapers. OK, that’s not true. Derek’s not that old. But still. He’s been rocking that lifestyle for a long time.
You should feel pain when unclear by Derek Sivers
I love this article. And it’s one of the reasons I edit the articles on this blog so heavily. Wasted words = misconstrued message. That said, I know I’m not doing a good job in all aspects of my message. It’s a constant process.
Why you need your own company by Derek Sivers
Do I need to keep writing “by Derek Sivers”? Yes, I do. Your own company = a platform to test your ideas. Testing your ideas = happiness.
6 things I wish I knew the day I started Berklee by Derek Sivers
All of these are important, but #3 struck the biggest chord with me: Nobody will teach you anything. You have to teach yourself. It’s very Iron Mind-like. :)
That’s enough for today. What’s your favorite Derek Sivers article? Oh, don’t have one? Here are the archives: http://sivers.org/blog
Find one and let me know. ;)
I would never give up my car, that I know for a fact. But I agree, we guys do love unleashing the daredevils in us. Nice post buddy!
I don’t think it’s a gender issue. I know many gals way more daredevilish than me. :)
Actually since couple weeks I’ve been thinking about getting rid of the car and to get decent motorbike (first have to learn to ride them). Not sure how it will end, as even bike is some kind of money well.
Selling the car would probably give you enough for the motorbike. I see them at Tesco for 2-3k PLN. I still haven’t found a need for a car in this city. It’s so easy to get everywhere by bike. (I’ve only used the tramwaj once.)
Yes bikes! I love mine, sturdy beast has lasted a good ten years, but I cycled over broken glass the other day and haven’t got it sorted yet. So I’m with you on learning to look after my own bike. A bunch of my friends, and I, are planning to cycle the route via which Alexander the Great conquered the known world in a couple of years! Can’t wait :D
That sounds like a fantastic expedition Amelia! Let me know when you set off on it. Even if it is a couple years away. :)
Wow! Okay music has never been all that and more to me, so big surprise this is the first I’ve heard of Derek Sivers.
Read ‘Why you need your own company’ and couldn’t agree more; exceedingly well put.
Also read and STRONGLY agreed with “Shut up! Announcing your plans makes you less motivated to accomplish them”—and it hurts my sisters feelers.
AND — Right now I can hear the sad cry of one of my own self-imposed deadline wooshing by. Okay I still have 48 hrs, but … sure I also need every last one of them to achieve my goal.
NEW RULE: Sorry Karol. :-( —NO MORE opening Karol’s emails ’til my work is done!! They are just way too enticing. On the up side – I have a lot of stimulating reading ahead of me—did you check out his reading list??!!
Hey Pat,
He has been known in the business world for years. So no need to be into music.
And yes, his reading list is awesome. Most of it I have read, but it has inspired me to take a look at some new ones.
Cheers,
Karol
Its good to know you have a bike. You know I love bikes. Route 66 sounds like an awesome plan. I am training myself to go on a Jacksonville – Savannah – White Springs – Jacksonville tour sometime soon.
A good brooks saddle goes a long way in making a ride comfortable. And duct tape can solve most flats.
Thanks Abhishek. That sounds like a fun bike trip as well. :)
Hi, Karol,
I live in the mountains in northern New Mexico overlooking old Route 66.. See ya next year, maybe?!
Awesome Deb! :) Keep an eye out for if/how/when that excursion happens. I need to do some research and see if I even want to bike all of Route 66. I mostly want to see all the road side attractions. hehe
Come on Karol give us a sweet bike trick video already.
ha!