It's A Wash

So I'm sitting here waiting for the wash to finish.
I have to wait here for I have a schizophrenic washing machine that does/does not do a cha-cha every time the load is uneven.
I was thinking about what to do today, since it doesn't look like I'll get out and ride.
Then it hit me.
See, everything I was thinking of, had something to do with going all consumer/economy booster crazy.
Everything added up to spending precious coinage.
Riding my bike is free!
Okay, not really.
I mean I spend my money on well informed purchases to upgrade my level of comfort or performance on my bicycles.
Or so I keep telling myself.
Instead of burning some gas and going to the mall and buying stupid stuff like clothes, I just ordered a new chain.
My old chain was sorta beginning to skip don't you know.
I mean I'm going to need a new chain eventually!
Be prepared.
Good motto.
Anyways, I figure the worst thing you can throw your money at is food.
Stuff like Slurpys, teri cheeseburgers, burritos, Philly cheese steaks and stuff can set you back and when you think about it, they aren't exactly the gifts that keep on giving.
Well if you consume them in quantities then it's sort of hard to get rid of them.
If you know what I mean.
Oh, and cream sodas don't figure into the equation.
Bicycle fuel.
Cycling though, while there is a maintenance cost, is relatively free. In fact it costs you some calories, which can be a good thing, if you are into that sort of loss. Getting out and going for a ride is a good thing because sometimes it cost me money even when I'm sitting here doing nothing.
Evil eBay and all that.
Anytime away from the computer means I'm actually saving money.
All this came to me cause I was thinking about the Rockhopper Project(RP).
Ole Rocky came with this Daliesque giraffe necked stem:



Now ole Rocky is going to be my beater bike, but still, no can do on that stem.
So off I went the other day to visit evil Hoku and he hooked me up with a replacement:



Unfortunately, not being fully versed in the intricacies of quill stems, I got the wrong size:



So as I sat here, waiting for the wash, I thought about all the money I spend on bikes, particularly, the money I was going to spend on PR, and if it was worth it.
I do need a new stem.
Going off the visit the LBS is not a good idea, for a bike fool and his money will part ways there.
There's always evil eBay.
Then I thought of another place.
A kindler, gentler place.
KVIBE, the bicycle co-op place.
I used to take all my take offs there(now I know I better to save some stuff) and once in a while I would stop off to see if they had anything good.
So what I'll do today is take some stuff I know I am absolutely positively not going to use and drop on by to see what they got.
I mean even if I end up spending money, I know it'll be recycled, so to speak, back into the community.
Kids on bikes.
The generation that can change it all!
Besides, any money spent on bicycles is a wash.
I mean all that money I'm saving by going out and riding sort of goes back into the bike anyways.
Hopefully, riding around on ole Rocky will keep me away from consumer oriented establishments.
Now, if only my clothes would get done.