Big changes in Romeoland

[romeothemonk]

First, I would like to announce that gas prices have hit an all time high in Rapid City. Being a good American I have 2 vehicles, a Merucry Grand Marquis Wagon (5 litre V8) and a half ton Chevy Silverado pickup (1990, title is not mine, but in my granmothers, I will probably buy it within a few months). I drive both regularly, but was hit with a gas bill in excess of $50 for less than a month. With that I decided that enough was enough. I went and spent $80 on a bike. I will recoup the cost in less than 2 months, and my fat butt will get some exercise.
Here is my bike, not a great thing, but it made me give up a gas guzzling beast of a vehicle.



70.08KB
This week is the first time that I have ridden a bike in 11 years. The town I lived in in Minnesota required that bikers wear helmets or face a fine, so I just stopped riding bikes when I was 13.

The other big change is that I have gone from Student to Research Scientist. That means I get my own office, well kind of. I now spend ~45-50 hours a week in this little hole. It aint that bad, especially as I now get insurance to help cover little details like bike accidents etc.
Here is my little office


58.5KB

The office actually means I have more time to persue CDZ, unfortunately for everyone, that doesn't mean that the quality of my musings or ramblings will improve.

[Whomp]

Makes good economic sense Romeo. Good work. But isn't it going to be 20 degrees and snowing in Rapid City in two months? Another thing get a picture of your wife on that desk. You will reap a significantly greater return on investment!

[grahamiam]

quote:Originally posted by Whomp

Makes good economic sense Romeo. Good work. But isn't it going to be 20 degrees and snowing in Rapid City in two months?

the devil is always in the details excellent point! but i gues that's why it's a mountain bike and not a road bike, that way he can get thru the snow and all. he just needs a parka, face shield, goggles, gloves, rain gear, etc, etc. Also, I notice that TPS report, uh, did you get the memo?

[Rik Meleet]

quote:Originally posted by Whomp

Another thing get a picture of your wife on that desk. You will reap a significantly greater return on investment!

Yes; get her to sit on your desk in a seducive position and take a picture

Unless Whomp means a picture of her and you put that on your desk ....

Well Romeo is a strong man, a little snow won't stop him. Smart move(s) Romeo !

[ProPain]

$50 bucks for gas a month I wish I was that lucky. Gas is around 1.37 euro a liter over here atm, about $1.71 that is. A gallon is about 3,8 liters, so that's $6.50 a gallon

With our current prices I normally pay over €50 a tank and I visit the fuel station about once a week on average.

My new car is a diesel fuel one, much more economic at a mere $4,75 a gallon.

On the bright side, recoup time on a bike is way shorter this way

[digger760]

I was in Colarado, a year ago, rest assured you petrol(gas) prices in the US are cheap my friend.

$50 a month with a 5 litre engine, I assume you were only driving around the block to work. You could really sav your self some Money and buy a nissan micra (or some other small car with a 1 litre engine). What have you got to loose.....except your dignity.

I spend €80 a month on petrol, and travel about 600-700 miles/month

[Whomp]

quote:Originally posted by Rik Meleet

Yes; get her to sit on your desk in a seducive position and take a picture

Unless Whomp means a picture of her and you put that on your desk ....

Well Romeo is a strong man, a little snow won't stop him. Smart move(s) Romeo !

Good idea Rik. Yes, yes must break in the new office.

However, I thought it might be nice if he'd ask her for a picture. 1.She'll think he's sweet and he'll likely get a little sumpin' sumpin, if you know what I mean.
2.If she has to ask why he doesn't have a picture of her in the office, he's dead.

One more thing, pictures on the wall please.

I've decided all Americans need to follow Romeo's lead and ride a bike or walk. We have some exceptionally large individuals in this country. There are duel benefits, lower fuel consumption and it's harder to eat Dorito's when you're riding a bike.

[Mistfit]

Ok lemme see I own a Chevy Avalanche V8. I drive 38 miles each way to and from work = 76miles a day. I work 5 or 6 days a week so average I make the drive say 24 days a month = 1824 miles a month to and from work. Gas = $2.76 a Gal. I get 16 MPG So that works out to what.... $314.00 per month...Ouch I had never done the math before.

I will gaurantee you one thing my big ass is not humping on a bike 80 miles per day to save myself a bit of gas money. I will prolly look at a more effecient vehicle next time around though.

[romeothemonk]

quote:Originally posted by Whomp
However, I thought it might be nice if he'd ask her for a picture. 1.She'll think he's sweet and he'll likely get a little sumpin' sumpin, if you know what I mean.
2.If she has to ask why he doesn't have a picture of her in the office, he's dead.

One more thing, pictures on the wall please.

I've decided all Americans need to follow Romeo's lead and ride a bike or walk. We have some exceptionally large individuals in this country. There are duel benefits, lower fuel consumption and it's harder to eat Dorito's when you're riding a bike.

The picture Idea is kind of good, but I am still a newlywed, I get all the sumpin, sumpin I can handle. Not complaining though.
The Office is in a "secure" lab, thus the wife cannot come on in, in fact less than 15 people a year will be able to make it to my office.
The added benefit of helping to reduce my waste will really help, but I kind of miss listening to the radio on the way to work. Oh well, more radio at work then.

Rapid City weather is really weird, it will be 50 and sunny one day and a real Nor'Easter style blizzard the next day. I normally wear shorts year round, and the past 6 years have walked a mile to school in shorts every day. I do not think biking 2 miles will be that bad.

The TPS report is a guilty habit of mine, as I love quoting from Office Space. Plus it helps identify the real engineers really quickly.

I still own the vehicles, but they are on a much more limited duty, such as going to church and helping buddies move. It seems wierd that I have helped move more than 12 times in 6 years. Perhaps I need to change my profession.

$50 a month is a big deal when you are trying to put your wife through college and pay off an inherited car loan (Weddings are cheap, I swear). Although being broke at night can be kind of fun. What can we afford to do tonight? I know something.

Anyway enough rambling.

[romeothemonk]

quote:Originally posted by Whomp
I've decided all Americans need to follow Romeo's lead and ride a bike or walk. We have some exceptionally large individuals in this country. There are duel benefits, lower fuel consumption and it's harder to eat Dorito's when you're riding a bike.

Apparently I am too large and have eaten too many Dorito's in my day. Riding my bike to lunch the other day, I was surprised to have the back axle split in 2. This made riding my bike rather problomatic, and involved me walking a good deal further than I had planned to, dragging a bike that no longer rolled nicely.
With that info, I took the bike back to the place where I purchased it, and received credit towards a better bike. It can be seen here.



88.89KB
I was rather upset with my first bike and hope that this one lasts a little longer than 2.5 weeks. Otherwise I might buy an airline ticket to whereever they make these things and administer some loving.
Because we all know that the weight of the consumer is never an issue when dealing with performance vehicles.
Now that I am getting used to bike riding, I am going to have to go get some dorito's and see if I can eat them while riding my bike. Reach for the goal