NAHBS and personal musings

So, for anyone who doesn't know the North American Handmade Bicycle Show was this past weekend. I just wanted to put out some of my favorites. Also I am jazzed because Kent Eriksen won Best Titanium for the second straight year, and it is possible that a geared version of my frame contributed to this win. He made a frame identically to mine just with vertical dropouts and cable stops and had previously told me that he was thinking about building it up and taking it to the show. I haven't seen a picture of it for verification yet, but I am searching. So here are a few of my favorites:
Not a bike but I am a Chris King fan. I have said before that I may get hubs that come in wheelsets that aren't Chris King, but if I buy just a hub I don't think I'll buy anything else.
Moots snow bike... Smoots. Cool winter camo rims and pedals. I love the chainstays just bowing out to I think 165mm. That also means the front is 165mm... burly but I bet it rides like a dream... may be a dream bike.
Engin cycles had maybe my favorite bike. I just love the subtle colors, the sliders blend in perfectly. I love the lugged stem. I just think that it looks real sleek and real clean. I think the won Best-in-show this year as well.

Today was an awesome day on the bicycle. As I type at 5:38 it is 37 degrees out. I took a new route to school which I think is going to become permanently integrated. Instead of going up Dubuque street, I am going up the long climb of Ridge Rd. I know that Ouachita has a brutal climb right away, and my legs can't feel dead like they have been at the beginning of rides or that climb will suck. So I am putting a good, long, not too steep climb right away in my everyday ride. On the Soul it is a good climb that forces my legs to respond before they are really ready. So after a good maybe hour long ride to class in the morning, I took a back route to pay rent which included monster trucking through some snow. In two or three more days of the snow melting: the fixed 29er is going to absolutely shred some snowmobile trails. Rode downtown, got some food, then headed across town to see Doug and Kelly's new place... pretty sharp. Yoga tonight rounds out the day. Some things are happening right now, and when they are fully ironed out I'll put it up. Riding tomorrow hopefully, and considering a 124 day on Sunday with Steve McGuire and Dave Pals, happy birthday ride for me.