So now for another (weekly) post...

I guess I will spill the beans since some of you know already.... I am trying to get a job at QBP as a software developer. So any of you that have contact with people from up there, put in a good word for me if you have a good opportunity to do so. Something about doing the work I signed up to do for the bicycle industry just seems right. It could mean that my work could have some meaning beyond just taking checks to the bank. It's not a done deal by any means; I am in the process, though.

So taking that job will mean moving to Minneapolis. This is a bittersweet proposition. It seems to happen that every time I really feel like I have settled down in a place, I fiond myself moving somewhere else. Maybe if I find work that I like, I won't feel this in the future. So anyway, I am not so excited to leave Nashville, a town I have enjoyed living in. I am not excited to leave all of the friends I have made here. At least I would still see them from time to time at bike events and such. I am, however, excited about the prospect of moving up where it gets cold and stays that way. Where snow can tend to stick around and people live with it. The Twin cities metro area is much larger than Nashville, and it appears to be more of a real city than Nashville is. There are good bike paths and trails in the city, and QBP is amazing in its efforts to support its employees in their efforts to commute and drive less. They also have one of the most environmentally friendly facilities in the US; on top of the warehouse is the largest solar panel array in the mid-west. And their facility backs up to a nature preserve with bike trails, hiking trails, and xc ski trails.

So in my position with QBP, I would be involved with about 20 other people to help maintain, support, and enhance the current systems for marketing, selling product, and managing the business. Not only would I be working for a cool company in the bike industry, but I would have the opportunity to learn new technologies and work in different areas.

I am crossing my fingers; hopefully you are too. The next step in the process would be a trip up to visit their facilities and meet with a bunch of people I would be working with. I think they also would be drilling me for technical knowledge. That part is never fun, but I should be able to hold it together.

In other news, I worked on my gunnar this weekend to get some of the mud from cyclo-cross cleaned off as well as putting my brooks saddle back on and putting my street tires back on. I also worked on re-truing the front wheel after my freak crash before the cyclo-cross race last week. Considering how much wobble it had after the crash, I am rather pleased with how straight the wheel pulled in, though the tension on the spokes is pretty jacked at this point. Sad to see my trusty Rolf Sestrieres in such a state.

I also worked on the little kona (aka, polo bike). Last week, my chain broke during polo so I removed the broken link and just pulled the chain tighter. Luckily there was enough chain to still work, but the singulator-chain interface was making alot of noise all week. So on Saturday I was looking at it and found that the bolt that holds the pulley in place on the singulator was loose. A quick tighten and things are running smooth again. I guess I also improved the alignment of the singulator. This is one of those original surly singulators from back in the early days. Now that it is tightened and aligned, it is still working like a champ.

So I think I have decided on a costume for the Halloween bash at Hennessey's place on Friday. You'll have to show up to see it....