[jyl]

Got up at 6AM. Family is out of town. Fed the cats and put them out. Now what to do?

Treated myself to breakfast at the local cup 'n plate. Eggs benedict, cafe au lait, the New York Times, not soggy for once, and the latest Economist. Learned that the French are voting for their equivalent of the president next week. The tough-on-crime Sarkozy is leading, but not by much, the good-looking lady candidate Segolene la Socialiste, with the far-right nationalist polling pretty well and some dark-horse alleged farmer stalled at third.

Wow, wish our elections were that interesting. Actually, this time, they might be.

Went to the range. Getting ready to carry so didn't do my usual slow and far. Instead, set the targets close, 25 feet, and practiced getting a quick sight picture then firing every 1/2 second until empty.

Interesting.

With my Glock 19 I can empty the magazine and all 15 rounds are one connected hole in the black - not all shots in the same hole, but all of the holes overlap or touch. Worked-over trigger, steel recoil spring guide, been shooting it for 20 years. Rented a S&W MP .40, held nicely but I was way to the right and all over the place, as many outside the black as in, very humbling. Range lady denies front sight is drifted to the left, maybe I'll bring my micrometer next time. With my S&W 442 (J-frame), also humbling, 9/10ths of the holes are in the black but pretty randomly scattered within that circle. Plus my trigger finger was tired after pulling 10 lbs 50 times.

Since the 442 is what I'll carry, it certainly put to rest any fantasies of head shots or, indeed, any shooting beyond a car length or so. I'm assuming I'd be 5X worse under pressure. Hope its not 10X, in that case I might as well carry a cap gun.

On the way home, stopped by the bike shop to buy a skewer for a new-used bicycle I just received. Decided to get non-QR skewers, since I live in a bike theft capital. Rooted around the used parts, thought about converting the bicycle to all-Campy, decided I'd spent enough money.

Went home, took to the bicycle to the back patio and started cleaning off all the old grime, removing reflectors and rack, pumping up tires and so on. Starts to rain, so I keep working away as I get steadily wetter and colder.

Portland weather is crappy, that's all I have to say.

Discovered the nicer set of wheels have, whaddya call them, the kind of tires that are tubeless and glued (?) to the rim, and one won't hold air. Crap. Put on the other, stock set with tubes. Since I won't have QRs, probably better choice anyway. Got the bike all clean, it is gorgeous, paint pearlescent and almost unmarked except the chainstay. Love that old-school steel.

Going to Internet to research prices on 90's-vintage Campy, and Brooks saddles.

Just another Saturday. And its still raining.