A quiver of one.

My Cannondale has more than 30,000 miles on it -- almost as much as the truck. I've had to replace nearly the entire drivetrain this summer, which has had me in bikeshops a lot, where the Cannondale looks fatigued among all these shiny toys. There are a lot of bike shops in Missoula, and competition is fierce. In the shop I was in on Saturday the guy told me, 'Based on your riding profile, I don't think you're going to be happy on anything other than carbon fiber'.

(Biking puts the babies to sleep.)

I started the conversation by telling the guy I wanted a 'quiver of one'. You have to start the conversation like that. A lot of outdoor junkies have a different tool for each condition -- think a pair of skis each for powder, mixed, resort, and early/late season. Besides meaning you have a lot of skis, it also means you have a lot of skins, boots, and bindings. But I want one pair of skis and one pair only; same goes for a bike, hiking boots, and bug spray (though I do admit to having two tents and three backpacks).

(New tire!)

There's a real satisfaction in having a single piece of gear and using it until it is used up. So goes with these tires: for several years now I've been in a rut of buying Continental slicks because a store I was stuck going to offered nothing else. I have never really cared for them, though, and recently went outside the box for a new set. Safe to say these are all used up: