Different revolutions

The continued domination of autumn by work has led to little biking and even less blogging. Not so bummed about the latter, but the prior makes me sad. I ride to work sometimes, reflected in a slightly increased mileage counter, but today was my first day doing so in a while and I was extremely sad at how much my butt hurt by the end of it. Even without bike shorts, my ass should have a little more resilience after the miles I've put in! Maybe they're hidden, somewhere, deep... wait, that's gross.

Anyways, a new revolution is coming. I believe I alluded to it in the first post, but cars are obviously a huge part of my life. I even write posts for a car blog, which is fun. Well, every once in a while you get the chance to completely go 5 blades and take life by the throat and tell it you're the boss. If that chance comes, you should take it, because you never know if you'll get another one. One of those chances has come to me, so no matter how crazy it seems to some (and even to me a lot of the time), I'm going for it and making one of my dreams come true. Immortalized in the Big Lebowski is one of my favorite quotes of all time: "If you will it, dude, it is no dream." Originally by Theodor Herzl, I love this quote. There's plenty of humor in it, especially in Walter's choice insertion of "dude," but it's also a completely empowering and optimistic statement. If you have a dream, use your will and capabilities to make it reality. It then is no longer a dream.

Well, my dream has been to own a car. Not just any car; I have a "car," though Truck-E is certainly much more than the commuter appliances "car" often insinuates. But my dream is to own a sports car. And not just any sports car, but one from the 80s, because the cars in the 80s were the most advanced mechanical automobiles before computers completely took over. Clean, straight lines required subtly and creativity to make beautiful shapes, but hot damn did they ever make some amazing looking sculptures. But it's not just any 80s sports car, as I wanted a BMW. And not just any BMW, because on the whole, even if 80s Bimmers are sweet, they can still give off a tinge of undeserving snob. No, what I've been dreaming about since middle school is a 1980s BMW M-car, the M standing for Motorsports, BMW's special car division which is mirrored in Mercedes' AMG, Audi's Quattro, and now mimicked by Lexus' F. These cars are low-production with roots in true motorsport, and in the case of 80s BMWs, they are hand-built machines epitomizing "The Ultimate Driving Machine" and showcasing the highest levels of technology for the day.

The first M that I wanted the BMW E30 M3, a box-fendered homologation special, which BMW had to produce street versions of so they could race them. An insanely hot little car and one of the most successful racecars ever, the market for them has gone through the roof. Still attainable for the collector but barely for the common enthusiast, I looked elsewhere.

Call it rationalization, self-comfort, or whatever you want, but as I grew up I began seeing the M5 from the same time period as the car for me. First, it flies further under the radar, available only in black and with minor modifications leaving it much less ostentatious than the M3. Additionally, the M3 is a small-ass car with only 2 doors and a joke of a back seat. That's great when you're going to the track, but I don't (yet). I'm a big dude, and after 10 years of driving 2-door, 2-seater trucks, being able to fit more than 1 friend in the car without going family-style sounds great. And, conveniently, the lack of racing heritage means M5 prices haven't shot through the roof like the M3 has. As I read more and more and the years passed, it became clear that the E28 M5 had its own magic and mystique, both in pure mechanicals as a truly amazing handler and with an engine straight from a race car, and from being one of the rarest BMWs ever produced, with only 1400 coming to the US, all in black. Many will pass by it thinking it's just another old BMW. Those who know, well... I'm excited to see what kind of reactions it gets.

Oh yeah, I'm buying one. The one pictured just above. After perusing the interwebs for cars for the better part of a decade, and writing about found German cars for several years, I have the desire and means to jump in and will it to be no dream. I found a local example that proved underwhelming, and upon some amazing internet communications, found my ideal example in Tennessee. I balked at first, thinking there was no reasonable way to make purchasing a car that far away make sense. Transporting? Silly and potentially risky. Fly out there? When? Well, after reflecting on the lesser local example and some communication with the obsessive-compulsive and true enthusiast Tennessean who currently owns the M5, I knew what I had to do. I have 10 days off for Thanksgiving, so my brother and I are flying to Nashville, picking up the car, and having the roadtrip of our dreams in reality.

So, that's the backstory. Hopefully this new revolution will get me writing some more. With Truck-E requiring some work currently I almost asked myself what I was thinking, but the question needed no asking. I know what I'm doing. I'm willing it, because if you will it, dude, it is no dream.

Windigo

The past two rides, Friday and Sunday, have been dominated by the Windigo; when it's windy as hell but you still go. Friday proved to be the most misadventure-strewn ride I can remember. Departing in the crazy-ass wind, I thought I was pushing through and getting a ride in. Starting out to the ocean, I thought I'd go the bridge via the other side of the city and then go to Marin. Cruising down Sloat Boulevard, there was a bunch of unavoidable glass in the bike lane, and soon after I felt the horrible wiggly and jarring flat tire. My first flat since I've moved to San Francisco, so... 3-plus years of no flats. Pulled over on a grassy corner, went through the steps, but my vulcanizing rubber cement was mysteriously empty, perhaps it leaked. Anyways, no cement, no patch, no extra tube, one loser. iPhone to the rescue, bike shop 4 blocks away in West Portal, new tube and tire and some time with 3 old bike shop dudes.

Post-bike shop, I rode in the gnarly wind along the Great American Highway. The sand in the wind stung my arms and blurred my vision. Totally sweet.

Decided to cut my losses, went past my waterfall in GG Park and charged it home, blocked at Dolores Park by the  fallen SF firefighters procession and just gave in and sat at the park for a while. Ended with a disappointing 20 miles but could tell it wasn't my day.

Yesterday was... well, different than Friday I guess. Nothing went wrong the way they did on my way to the ocean, I just felt tired and heavy the whole time. The summer weather pattern, though favorable in its warmth and I shan't complain about that, brings some serious wind, which can sneak up and make it feel like I'm riding in Nutella. That was Sunday. Made it out to Tiburon and back for a 51 miler, but didn't feel very good about it. Kept thinking along the way: "Aren't all these miles I've been biking supposed to make this shit easier?" Guess not yet.

Well, the biking wasn't that much fun, and I guess that's reflected in how much I feel like writing about it. I guess that makes it a great time to discuss one of other namesakes for the this blog: my love of cars. In fact, my girlfriend calls cars my "one true love." Probably true. If you know me, you've probably heard me talk about cars or seen me get distracted by something obscure on the road. So, you're gonna have to deal with it on my blog too.

On our way to Sausalito on Saturday, we passed 5 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwings, one of the most revolutionary sports cars in history. I'd never even seen one in person, and all of the sudden Truck-E was rumbling next to 5 cars each worth nearly a million dollars. They came in all flavors, too...

 I didn't realize how much I would love this car in red. It's incredible.

Pictures also never showed me how frickin long this car is.

We unfortunately didn't get any of the crazy, deep burgundy example.

They were all led by the new SLS, the modern interpretation. Doesn't have nearly the gravity as the 300s, but was cool to see and looks hewn from a single block of aluminum.

Another revolution began again today, as Stanford Rowing Camps started up for another year. 36 little bundles of joy today, and the wind was still effing with my shiiihhhh. One boat of 8 small children blew away from the dock so fast and so far that it took the next 45 minutes for them to just try to row into the wind back to the dock. It actually didn't go as badly as I had anticipated, so here we go.