Fare thee well my Pearl Izumi shorts

As previously discussed, my cycling shorts were getting a little worn around the edges. Still, I pressed on, paying only lip service to a trip to the bike shop for new shorts. After all, shorts aren't cheap. I continued riding each and every ride in the same shorts, washing them with Woolite in the sink after each workout. And such it might have continued but for a tragic accident in the bathroom sink, the site of my short's untimely end.

The tragedy was the result of a home improvement project taking place at the same time. The girlfriend had just coated a few boards with a sealant (to make new shelves for the bathroom) and was soaking the brush in lacquer thinner. Unfortunately, she had chosen a cheap plastic cup as the container for this soaking. Even more unfortunate, she had placed said cup on previously mentioned bathroom sink. Upon returning to the sink to fish out my shorts I found that the lacquer thinner had chemically melted the plastic cup and proceeded to run all over the sink.

My shorts, thus, had been marinating in a chemical hazard for a good 10 or 15 minutes. One sniff of the shorts and I knew, it was too late to save them.

What an anticlimactic way for my shorts to go. It's like a great warrior being stabbed in the back while he's sleeping. I had expected them to bite the dust in some epic fall (an experience I've yet to have, but that's another post), or finally wear a whole after a gnarly century ride.

Rest in peace, my shorts. Thank you for protecting my tush and bones for all those thousands of miles. You will be remembered as a steadfast, trusty companion who met your tragic end far too soon.