I have been away for a week. I returned yesterday. This morning I began going through 8 pages of emails and looked up the Surly blog to see what's what. I read John's last post, twice in fact, but I still am not sure what he said. I can't tell if that's due to the vacation or what. Everything feels different. I also reread the last post I wrote before leaving. "Me too, but it isn't in my job and/or cops on its ear"? I wrote that, seriously? And misspelled Whose? For the luvva Pete, I really did need a…

18" Big Dummy framesets are going into stock at our distributor as I write this. More 18" framesets, 22" framesets, and 16" framesets will arrive next week. 20" and more 22" framesets will arrive near the end of August/beginning of September. They cost more now. $1050 is retail. Life is hard. It still costs less than a Hummer or a Prius. They'll go pretty fast. Again, life is hard. We're doing all we can. You're doing a great job today. Everyone around you agrees that you are the hardest working s.o.b. in the place. So, nice work. -Skip -----

Eric Parsons and Dylan Kentch just returned from an epic (Epic) Pugsley/packraft trip from Hope to Kenai via the Alaskan coast. Check out Eric's account of the adventure. Here's a little video, too... Untitled from Eric Parsons on Vimeo. -----

Epilogue from the Hendrix's Trike story of last week comes to us from a man with two first names, Sean Ralph, who's email says he is a Controller. Me too, but it isn't in my job and/or cops on its ear. Remind me again: who's watching the detectives? Oh yeah, the detectives. Wait... Also note that several memebers of the elite Surly Super Robot Fighting Ninjas Hi-YAH! Team will be absent from the office this week, including yours truly. If you write in or call, it may take us a little longer to respond than usual. We need a vacation…

Hendrix's Trike Update: TRIKE FOUND! BRose called me. Earlier today Matt "Puppy Love" Duffin sees the trike being ridden by a 9 year old street urchin. Urchin is confronted, instantly gives up and protests innocence. He is not the first, or probably second or third, person to ride this bike after its fall into prying hands. Trike has obviously been 'around the block' but otherwise rideable. Matt calls BRose. BRose calls Katie, Hendrix's mom. Trike is returned. On Hendrix's Birthday. BRose spends time talking with family. Katie's mom is in her 80s, Irish, loves bikes, used to ride all the…