One evening, after a reasonably rainy day my friend Richard (formerly known as Lafo, recently re-nicknamed by me as Ryžo) suggested we go out for a “short sweet bike ride” (his direct quote). You see, I have known Richard for over 15 years but have not really been in touch with him since he left Stony Brook more than a year or so ago. It must be said upfront that unlike Richard, I am not nearly in that good a shape as he is, not to mention the fact that I am easily twice his weight. At this point I was still blissfully unaware of what his concept of “short and sweet” is but in the interest of full disclosure it must be stated that it does not even to begin to approach mine.








