Well, almost to the day a two-year cycle is coming to a close. Lots of different aspects of my life are rolling over.

I went on the Polka Ride, and danced the night away. It was very healing to not care. A good sign that I'm in a good place. I've been single for two years, and I think I got the better end of the deal.

One of the things I've learned in my travels is that a bike club needs a place to live in order to graduate from adolescence- being something you do once a week- to a real Bike Club, on the level of the others that came before us. I'd been itchin to bring the Rat Patrol to the next level, especially since other Rats are starting to understand what they're a part of. It's like there are levels in Bike Club, something along the lines of

1) come on a ride
2) build your own bike
3) blat
4) visit an older bike club
5) Chino's
6) visit the RPUK

etc etc. Not that I would ever want any requirements or ranks in the Rat Patrol, but the same reason I wouldn't (so that each can adopt it to what they want) also allows some of us to take it more seriously, make a lifestyle out of it. I feel like people can't understand what I am or what I'm doing unless they see me in a national context, and are clued in to what's going on. Not even many Rats see that.

So anyway, the dream is some big industrial space where we can live and chop. Something we own and can construct to our needs. But I think that's a ways off, a distant dream. But some non-rats found us a space that is just too good to pass up.

It's in Humboldt park, that cracktastic neighborhood we all love, and it's a three flat with a storefront. The apartments are two bedrooms. The first and third floor will have non-rats, but they're bikey folks and longtime allies. Three of us rats will live in the middle. The storefront will be multi-multi-multi-use, but it'll be useful for bikey stuff. I just hope nobody gets any wise ideas about allowing others, outsiders, nonresidents, to have decision-making power over that space... we've all seen how poorly that works with Working Bikes.

The nice thing is, the apartments are completely separate, so none of us have to answer to any of the other residents. I know and love my roommates enough to communicate with them, but I know the upstairs folks wouldn't want me up in their business and I don't want the downstairs folks up in mine. Still, Tommy and I come from the same place, and understand each other well. I'm happy to follow his lead when it comes to the setup of these apartments and the use of the storefront.

My roommates are two Rats who I think really get it, McD and Scaredy Rat. They are Rats who I really feel have got my back (and, by default, it's my job to get EVERY rat's back, when it comes to matters Rat Patrol and bikewise). I think they're ready to become real Bike Club, not just in a bike club.

Now I have to knuckle down and get some shitty job that I REALLY don't want to do. Then work on getting one I do want.

Off to Boston this week on a diplomatic mission to SCUL.

Pour a little on the curb for the Dive. It was a great time while it lasted.