Black Friday Boogie..."can't afford not to go"

How to spend time…not “saving” money
by Peter Fitz

“Black Friday shopping is known for attracting aggressive crowds, with annual reports of assaults, shootings, and throngs of people trampling on other shoppers in an attempt to get the best deal on a product before supplies run out.”

Why “Black Friday”? It just sounds ominous to me. Isn't Thanksgiving supposed to be about reflection and giving thanks for stuff like Health, Family, Friends, Harry Built Wheels, etc.? Why would someone elect to spend their evening and in some cases entire day or weekend only to go out and gather more stuff? And risk their lives to do it!!

I decided this year to trade Tryp-to-phan for Trip-to-Lafayette. For me “Black Friday” would be spent on the bike rolling through parts of the East Bay where I grew up and grew up cycling. What an adventure. Clad in SW gear, I headed north to Lafayette where I would eventually hook up with my family. (What better carrot to have on a point-to-point ride!)

After thirteen city limits, four county lines, three major shopping malls, one major airport, seven hours pedaling, and ninety five miles later, I made it. Now with the adventure ride over, smile affixed on my face, fatigue in my legs and hunger in my belly, all I can say is “Wow…what a day”.

And to think, I survived all day without buying a: TV, tablet computer, Nike Air Jordan's  Christmas decorations, Wii, sweater, other junk I don’t need, honking at drivers, racing to find a parking spot, waiting in check-out lines, listening to parents yell at their kids, setting up camp in a food court, “saving” money buy spending it…

I love me some “Black Friday”! 

 FitzWÜleur