big john

Speaking of dentists, today I got the last of the work done which was diagnosed in July. Original guesstimate was a couple grand higher than it turned out. So I saved enough for a lower end gravel bike or hardtail mtb.

Eric F 

Shop carefully on the used market, and you might find better than a low-end gravel bike. I just scored a CF frame, Ultegra 2x11, hydro discs, and decent wheels for $1200. I'd been looking for a while, and a lot of them around $1500 were pretty low end parts, but decent frames that could be upgraded (Giant TCX, for example). That said, I would add a hardtail MTB to my stable before a gravel bike.

big john

I've been thinking about a gravel type bike since I joined some friends on their mixed surface/dirt road ride. I was on my enduro bike which I use on some solo rides around here. That bike is a slug on the road but great on rough stuff.

I thought a light hardtail might be better than a gravel style bike because I would feel more confident, having ridden mountain bikes for a long time.
A couple people I spoke to recently said something similar.

Eric F 

I would agree with that, too. If you need more efficient tires for a mixed-surface ride, you can put 700C gravel tires on 29" MTB wheels (same seat/bead diameter). My gravel bike purchase is about N+1 as much as anything else, and my MTB needs are already covered.

Trsnrtr

Chapeau!.

indyfabz

Forgot to mention that I lost my Costco virginity on Saturday. Interesting experience.

LesterOfPuppets

For a while the one by here had these, but then all of a sudden they didn't again, so Costco is once again dead to me

big john

There is a Costco near the old job and we would go there to the food court for lunch sometimes. You didn't need to be a member but I think now you do.

LesterOfPuppets

I used to pop in for the dog and coke deal but now that I've cut way down on Coke consumption the deal doesn't seem as good. I think ours is still setup so you can walk in through the exit to get to the food court though.

big john

I thought the pizza slice deal was pretty good for lunch and those chicken bread things were, too. I think the dog and Coke thing is a loss leader.

indyfabz

It has to be. $1.50 for a very big dog and a drink.

LesterOfPuppets

I would've taken a bye week if I was CXing in Portland this year.

big john

Didn't the founder or CEO or somebody say he would never raise the price?

rjones28 

On-course mud rinse.

datlas 

Awoke this morning feeling my usual self, but with some extra cough/mucus.

I did a test just to be safe. No covid.

seedsbelize2

The Costco in Merida is the only one we have experience with, and we spend $150 there every few weeks.

seedsbelize2

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datlas 

I am pretty sure I have never been to a CostCo. I confuse that with Sam's Club, but I don't think I have been there either.

MoAlpha

Me neither, but I was in a Walmart once and I've been to the infamous Bldg 19.

datlas 

I go to Walmart to buy C02 cannisters. Many years ago we got a free membership to BJ's so I do have some experience with members-only big box warehouse stores. They likely make more sense for larger households and/or hoarders.

phrantic09

We get nearly 100% of our weekly groceries from BJs. They have great prices in non-bulk produce, meat, etc

ls01

me too. Eyes were irritated yesterday, itchy. Woke today, cough , headache, sinuses are burning.... I was just sick a couple weeks ago damnit!

seedsbelize2

Coming from a culture of abundance, into a desert, makes Costco feel more essential.

big john

I think Costco pharmacy has good prices. I remember Mrs John dragged me in there when her insurance was between jobs or something. It was like a giant Mosh pit, hard to avoid contact with the masses milling about. She didn't need a membership then for the pharmacy.

My ex wife worked for Wal Mart for the last few years we were together. She helped set-up and open the new store north of here. She became the manager for Hallmark at that store and sold more Hallmark than any Hallmark stand alone store. She was happy doing that because she didn't have to cashier. She hated cashiering more than anything in life.

The pay wasn't great but she liked working there once out of cashiering. We got significant discounts on everything including tires and batteries. They allowed her to transfer to a store on the east coast when she split.

She said they had a constant turnover of employees and were always short staffed by 40 or 50 people. They would hire a bunch of knuckleheads and most would be gone within a couple weeks.

The customers could be a problem. People would spill food and drink everywhere, move merchandise around, and stick gum under and on top of every surface. They would have "gum day" when employees would patrol the aisles scraping gum off shelves.

big john

It was raining when I woke up. Actual rain, not the mist/drizzle we normally get. The cat demanded to go out so he could try to drink all the puddles, He came back in after a few minutes. Another sign of old age, I guess.