A New Era

I don't get caught up in having the latest, greatest equipment. I ride a bike frame from 2002 and only replace parts when they break or stop functioning properly. Ride it till it breaks has always been my motto. My lack of current technology really was magnified this past weekend as both my travel companions were sporting brand new bikes. I immediately felt the need to procure a new ride, however, I have come to my senses. My Scalpel is more than adequate for my skill level. As long as this bike is functioning properly, I will continue to ride and race my Scalpel 1000.

This brings me to the reason for the title to this post and the motivation for typing. I won a new backpack hydration system at the raffle drawing at the Dustbuster MTB Race. It's a nice North Face pack, solid black with a lot more storage than my old Camelback MULE. The extra storage will be welcomed in the summer when long rides from work are the norm. I feel that I need to say something about my outgoing pack. Yeah, I'm a little nutty. It has been a great pack and nothing is wrong with it. It has been bombproof. Me and that pack have been through many adventures, some good, some bad, and some unforgettable. The pack is a very important piece of equipment and I hope my new pack performs as good as the Camelback.

Old Pack: Trusted, Proven, Still Kickin



New Pack: Unknown, Flashy
I plan to put the new pack through some long rides this weekend to see how it performs. Gonna hold onto the old CB till then.