For six years, I have cycled around the world on my Surly, always careful, rarely leaving my bike out of sight by day when I stopped somewhere, and every night insisting on having it next to me. Returning home in March, I rode the Surly even here. Then earlier this summer, I decided to park it for a while in my rental storage room and ride my road bike for a while instead. That night, my storage room got broken into. Along with my Surly, the thieves stole another bike plus parts, some electronics and tools. Sure, I filed a police report, but my bicycle was never recovered, nor anything else. In July, a newspaper article noted bike thefts were up 18% in Denver over 2019. Between January and the end of June 1,621 bicycles were stolen in Denver. It will probably be double that many bikes by the end of the year. Ever since my Surly was ripped off, I have been riding my road bike. Pandemic, canceled flights and trips and my preferred bike gone – are these signs of a law of change? Are these signs to move on and start doing things differently? Time to turn a page and begin a next phase of my cycling life and bicycle touring the world? Must be. Life goes on. Three months have passed since I lost my Surly. I am looking into a new touring bike. I write this little nostalgic post with a smile! Rest in peace, my Surly! And if some asshole rides you somewhere these days, crash and toss that asshole that took you away from me!!
