What a year it has been...and is.

This year has been chock full of ups and downs, mostly downs. I went on a 3 and a half month hiatus of riding my bike to work. I have no excuses, I was just consumed by the convenience of having a car again and sort of forgot that riding to work may take a little longer, but is far more entertaining and less stressful to boot.

I'm more motivated than I have been in a long time, and with that, I almost want to reward myself and/or motivate myself even more by maybe investing in a new ride and some stylish knickers.

I'm currently commuting on my Surly Long Haul Trucker. I love my Surly (aka Bessie), but I think for commuting, it's almost too much bike for me. My 3 mile commute to work is flat...no hills at all, nothing. 27 gears is a lot to lug around, especially when I only use 2 of them...maybe 3 if there's a breeze.

So right now I'm considering this:

It's the Nirve Fairfax. My LBS has one in stock and I've ridden it around a little and I LOVE it. It's comfortable, fun, stylish and just a very nice ride. Count me in. It also has that wonderful dynamo hub on the front which powers the headlight and the tailight. Only 8 gears to choose from and they're all internal...which keeps the bike looking simple and sleek to boot. Ah man, so great!

Aside from a new bike to get me motivated, I've also found some really nice commuting apparel. My boyfriend has had his Chrome Knickers for years now and they're still holding strong, I had even considered getting a pair of them until I saw that Chrome came out with the Vanya Knickers for women! They look fantastic, feminine and comfortable.

At $120, they're a little out of my price range, but I'm hoping that when I'm in Vegas for Interbike, I may be able to score a pair or two at a relatively inexpensive price. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

These are only a couple of the many things that are keeping me motivated as of late and I cannot wait to get my hands on them! Ahhh! Patience is a virtue.