I've been telling myself that if I reach a particular milestone in losing weight, that I'll get myself a new touring bike. I'm not in any danger of reaching this milestone anytime soon, but having reached the decision, I've been enjoying looking at various touring bikes on the web. I checked out Cannondale, Specialized, Trek, and Fuji and they each have a couple of models that all look OK. But I also found Airborne, which let's you build a bike to order, like Apple or Dell let's you build a computer to order, choosing everything: frame, crank, bottom bracket, derailleurs -- even the chain!. Here's a 
touring bike. Unfortunately, it's way out of my price range.
I really liked the look of the steel independence.
And Rivendell Bicycle Works produces an interesting bike called the Atlantis which looks neat. I won't be able to afford to get anything so nice, but it's fun to look and dream anyway.
I rode home for lunch today and while I was taking of my helmet and gloves, I saw a handsome, green inchworm. I took it in and showed it to Alisa who immediately decided to take it over to school and show it to the kindergarten. The kids loved it. Daniel took it and watched it for several minutes (while the teacher gently encouraged him to take it around to the rest of the kids -- which he eventually did). Whenever confronted with an inchworm, Richard would remark that they are in the family Geometridae -- the earth-measurers. A very fitting scientific name.