Don't know how I forgot to mention this in my last post... On Saturday I was about to go to Point Defiance and I had just gotten my car back the day before and had already assumed and planned on getting gas on my way because I thought I needed some. When I got around the gas station, I looked at my fuel gauge and it was just below half so I decided not to get gas. This was at 65th and 25th heading south on 25th St and there's a right lane that you either need to turn right or haul ass because there's always a car parked about 100 feet ahead. Well, I'm second in line and this minivan goes into that lane and I don't let him in in front of me (gotta teach him a lesson) so he gets shut down and has to get behind me. Then we get to 25th and 55th and he pulls into the right lane AGAIN and this time I'm first in line. Now there's a car in his lane about 400 feet up, so plenty of time to do whatever. I'm not expecting him to try to get in front of me. BTW I have a can in my hand, so I'm driving one handed (5 speed). So I just go normal speed from the stop light, which is a little fast, but not that fast. I'm shifting to 3rd and realize he is going to try to pass me, that he's been on the gas this whole time, so I step on it and shut him down. Shortly after we are stopped at a red light and he pulls up next to me again, this time I look at him and we share a laugh. So, yes, I raced a minivan... and it's okay because it was one handed.

Yesterday I got off work early, headed home, picked up Brandon to go to Aurora Auto Wrecking. Aurora Auto Wrecking is the best junkyard ever. Pick-a-Part in Tumwater is great, but they've only got shitty old cars. I don't know the arrangement but Aurora basically has a monopoly on the European cars in the Seattle area. For example, Brandon and I both ended up going there when we lived in Puyallup. And what kind of bad ass junkyard is only open 7-5, M-F? Same employees work there that did probably 2 years ago the first time I went. I went with a bit of a shopping list. Got a gas cap, new hood emblem, door moulding and interior trim plastic strip. I was not able to get a piece I want for my mirror, they only sell the whole assembly... I went to the junkyard because the dealership doesn't sell that piece separately either. So that leaves me SOL or in a parking lot late at night to jack someone else's (which I won't do). Total came to ~$60. Put on the gas cap right away. Put on the emblem when I got home (getting the old one off was a task). Then put on the other two things later.

Went for a bike ride. I was a bit unmotivated and it took about 2 hours before I finally left, but I did. I averaged 20.2 MPH to Redmond, which is decent, I guess it's my second best speed there (ever). I was coming back and right as I got back on the trail I saw a paceline about 100 feet in front of me and I slowly closed the distance until apparently the head got tired and I passed them. I turned it on at that point, was going pretty fast and about a mile later I heard a freewheel behind me, looked, and apparently I picked two off of that paceline. Kept going fast and probably pulled these guys for about 3-4 miles. Guy behind me started to pass and said it was okay if I drafted off of him. I guess that sounds stupid because he didn't ask me or get my OK to draft off me, but it was a nice gesture. So I took a break for a mile or two while this guy pulled and we had a pretty decent average going. I was going 22-23 when I was pulling and he started pulling around 23 but steadily got down to 20 mph at which point I passed and pulled again at 22. Then the other guy wanted a workout so he passed me, but only pulled for about half a mile before he was toast. Then one of the guys pulled up next to me and we were talking. His name was Austin (so I've talked to two people this year and they both have "ustin" in their names) and I asked him if he raced, he said Seward Park has a race every Thursday, which is very interesting information to me. Also cool is the fact that I'm faster than this guy and he said he's almost Cat 4. That was a good time killer, he left at the golf course, so only about 7 miles left and tons of energy since I drafted a few miles. Pushed it and kept the average at 20.2 mph until the end which is my second fastest average (however not a whole lot faster than when I had a 20 mph average until mile 45 of a 50 mile ride).

Watched Into the Wild again. Woke up crazy tired this morning.