This evening I got what was, without any doubt, the best bicycle commute rain I have ever seen. The roads were so flooded I had to pedal against the current. I had to cycle through streams so strong my bike slid sideways. I had puddles so deep my feet were dragging through the water. I got splashed by trucks and buses. I had to go through dumps of water coming out of gutters.

It was totally winner. And now I am very tired.

My bike got serviced this week for free. It is so unbelievably much more fun to ride. The brakes work. The gears work. The tires aren't flat. Totally sweet. I got new back brake pads too. But I had to pay for those. It was worth it though. So far they've worked every time.

Since riding home last night, after chugging down some delicious, not inappropriately priced Belgian beer with David, I have discovered some things:

• the forces of gyroscopy are impressive, but ultimately they are an imperfect substitute for sobriety
• for the inebriated head, the drunken amble is the optimal speed for safely avoiding objects that accost you (such as restaurants, trees, pedestrians, suburbs and gutters)
• correspondingly, even a slow cycling speed is sub-optimal
• much of what makes cars of limited danger to the cyclist is the cyclist's ability to maintain a straight path for at least a brief period

I did, however, manage to make it home.

My left arm has got pretty brown in the last month or so. Browner than my right arm for sure. My theory is that because I ride to university in the mornings and I have to go south, my left side gets more sun than my right. I wonder if other cyclists have the same problem. Over time you could end up looking quite ridiculous.

I rode home in 15 minutes yesterday. It was pretty quick. Now my legs are sore and I have urges to eat potato.

The last few years I've spend a reasonable amount of money. Probably about $10 a week I reckon, which is quite a substantial proportion of my income. I used to try and work out how much money I would save if I rode to uni. I'd do the maths in my head while I waited for late buses. "I'll show Sydney Bues," I'd think to myself, "I'll get to uni quicker, get fit and save money. Damn you." I worked out how long I'd have to ride to pay of the cost of buying the bike in the first place. It was a long time, but in the long run it would be well worth it.

However, I hadn't considered all the costs of riding. Over the past few days I've realised that $1.11 (a bus ticket) worth of food isn't very much food. When you're riding for half an hour twice a day you get hungry. Or I'll get to uni and buy an orange juice for $2.50, completely eliminating any money savings I might have made.

So you win this round Sydney Buses, but just wait until I build my solar-powered scooter.

I bought a new bike today. I've been planning to for about 9 months - ever since the physio told me my knees were bung and needed strengthening. I finally got around to it. The bike cost $350, the helmet cost $50, the lights cost $80 and the carry bar cost $70.

I rode it home with a whole lot of vegies on the back. It was heaps of fun and really fast. Faster than the bus at least. I almost got run over by a truck though. It swerved at the last minute and then the car behind it almost hit me. It's good to be back on the rodes.

Although I can't believe I spent $80 on lights. I went in to buy the bike while it was light, but by the time I left it was dark and I didn't have a choice. I bought the same thing at Kmart last time for $15. Well, not exactly the same.

This is totally a fitness day. I went to the gym for two hours as well. Fun fun.