Another successful week

Well, with the exception of the fact that I still haven't dragged myself into the water yet. I got a lot accomplished at work, including picking up a shift to support someone else. But this week I did achieve my goal of 60 km of running and at least 100 of biking, largely due to the last two days. I woke up on Friday, biked to work, worked a full (very full!) day shift, took a long route home, did my grocery shopping, biking a long route in to work, worked a night shift, biked a long route home, went for a run, and then finally went to sleep.

I slept like the dead.

Anyway, I got some positive feedback a couple days ago about my makgeolli. Now I plan on making a larger batch, probably a double. I may try steaming the rice in my instant pot this time, simply because it takes less water to clean than my large stockpot does. I should see if the steaming basket from my stockpot fits the instant pot; that would be almost too good to be true.

The rear tire on my folding bike failed when I was all of half a kilometer from home, so I just walked it back and then took another bike to work. It's yet another advantage that bikes have over cars; it's much easier and cheaper to own a second bike than it is to own a second (or even first) car. When a bike breaks down, I can walk it, or lock it up somewhere and come back for it later. I can even call for a taxi and bring the bike with me.

I'm also pleased with how well by bicycle tube and tire attitudes have worked out. On my way home a few days ago, my rear tire went flat. I had a spare tube, patch kit, levers, and allen wrench; I just wasn't carrying a pump (my pump bracket broke; I need to try printing a new one). Normally, my presta valves would have meant that the gas station a block away wouldn't have a usable compressor. But the fact that I always have Schrader adapters installed meant that I could walk to the station, swap my tube out, and be back on the road in a few minutes.

Last but not least, I bought a bag of light DME (dried malt extract) this week, along with a nichrome inoculation loop, some culture tubes, and a tube rack. I should be able to make some good microbiological slants. I intend to try different long-term methods of preserving various strains of microorganisms; yeast, possibly kombucha organisms, maybe spores for tempeh. That sort of thing.