benweir.com

Flying directly in the face of my recent "eliminate possessions" craze, I just made two online purchases.

First, I got a new pair of moto boots. I already have a beefy pair of boots. In fact they're so beefy that they come halfway up to my knees and they have toe sliders. They aren't comfortable to wear off the bike and they squeak when I walk in them. I can wear them under jeans but they look kind of dorky and not at all like normal shoes. I like them a lot for serious riding and their waterproofness is great but they're no good for wearing on quick trips around town. In the past I've just ridden around in regular shoes. But in the last few years I've gradually shifted away from tennis/athletic shoes and towards slightly dressier and lots more delicate leatherish shoes. I don't want to ride in them. Obviously there's a NEED for new boots. So my new moto boots are low cut and a lot less conspicuous looking. They should be comfy enough to wear all day too.

Second, I got a new bike. Part of the justification for this is that I am getting rid of my old hybrid bike this weekend! So this one doesn't count as new stuff, it's just "refreshing" something that I already have. Plus it's a folding bike and so it will take up a lot less space. I am getting the silver model and I also ordered the Crossrack. This will let me mount a standard pannier from the seat post.

Both of these purchases are further justified by two fairly recent changes in my life. I moved and I got rid of my car. These two things have me riding the two wheeled machines a lot more and so it seems wise to invest in them.