Many thanks for the well wishes, gang!
@November: Pics to come, but not this weekend as wife and I are hiding from the Air Show.
@SunnyFlorida: Be sure that I count you among the coolest and friendliest.
@puppypilgrim: What really sold me on the Strida is the design. There's not a single concession to the Lycra-clad, wannabe-like-Lance crowd that I can see. It was built for exactly the sort of urban riding I'll do here.
@snafu: Be certain that my single-speed attraction is neither fashion-focused nor religiously motivated. I just like the low maintenance and mechanical simplicity. I can get my mechanically simple head wrapped around it.
@mulleady: Happy approaching 45th! I will raise a glass of tinto de verano on the 22nd in your honor. The lakefront bike path here is beautiful, marred only by pedestrians who refuse to stay on the pedestrian path.
@Norel: Join the fold! And oh, how I envy you - living in my favorite city in North America. I was there last weekend for an academic conference and was amazed by the ubiquitous Bixis, the dedicated bike lanes on streets like de Maisonneuve, and lots of folders (mostly Dahons). Amazing also were the bagels and the poutine - official junk food of my people. (Je suis un québécois americain, mais mon francais est plutot mauvais parce que mes parents n'ont pas parler francais dans notre maison.)