So a Warhammer Store opened up in Saskatoon. I think it opened in late November or the beginning of December...? Somehow I didn't even find out until the end of December!? And the person who told me wasn't even a Warhammer player!? She just happens to work at the library branch nearby and had spotted it and when we were out at a show she happened to say; "Hey... Warhammer...? Is that a thing you do...? Because there's a new store near where I work."
Sure enough, I looked it up and there it was... in the University Heights Suburban Centre... almost as far as you can get from my house and still be within the city limits... almost... Now in the summer I ride out that way all the time (to visit the Northwest Swale (for bridwatching... and.. just for an excuse to get out for a ride) But in the winter, that's a bit of a ride...
Most of January has been BRUTALLY cold - like -40°C windchills (or sometimes even -40°C without the windchills... or windchill dipping into the -50°C range). I did not go anywhere I didn't HAVE to... But today it was kind of nice out (I think it got all the way up to -3°C!?). So I thought I'd roll out there for a little visit.
It was a nice bright day. Often bright days in Saskatoon in the winter means brutally cold! But today was bright and warm (relatively speaking).
Though the store is twice the distance it would be to get to Dragon's Den Games - my usual FLGS.... almost ALL of the ride was on off-road multi-use trails. Like, 95% of the journey... and... when I finally got there...
THERE WERE FUCKING BIKE RACKS OUT FRONT OF THE STORE!?!?! In the middle of this suburban hellscape for parking and strip malls as far as the eye could see in any direction (and you can see a LONG WAY when there is nothing but surface parking and the occasional strip mall) there were bicycle hitching posts in front of EVERY STORE!? Not going to lie, I did NOT expect that... and I can't tell you how BIG of a DEAL that is for me - as a guy that doesn't own a car and generally gets about by bicycle!
I honestly felt like this might be a last resort store... but damn, rock star parking instead of having to find a dodgy pole a block away that some car might just back into... I'd ride the extra distance (and pay a bit more money for THAT!).
The only downside was I arrived at 3:05... and the store is closed from 3-3:30 every day (which is not listed in the Hours of Operation on google or on the store's facebook page). While a little inconvenient for me, I was actually really excited to see this - that the corporation that runs the place actually understands the limitations of Human Beings... especially stores where there is just ONE PERSON working all damned day. I worked in retail a lot in my younger days - often in a store where I was all on my own for 8 hours and it was just "take a break when you can" and no bathroom breaks for you for 8 hours!
At least it wasn't -50!!
Okay, I DID have a reason to go OTHER than to just check the place out... I never was able to track down a copy of Zarbag's Gitz - the first Goblin warband for Warhammer Underworlds - and getting back into it I discovered they did a second Goblin warband for Gnarlwood... and I wanted to get one before they all disappeared! I noted that both Dragon's Den and Amazing Stories were sold out of them... and the Warhammer Store had one... so...
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I too am impressed with the bike rack and half hour closing, very positive things indeed. I enjoyed the wintry picture and look forward to seeing more. Enjoy your new figures.
ReplyDeleteAlan Tradgardland
Thanks Alan!
DeleteI had set an intention to TRY and get our for a ride EVERY DAY this year... and despite some fresh snow, I got out the first few days... though it was a bit cold... but then the deep freeze set in and I barely left the house for nearly three weeks. The good thing about the deep freeze is that after feeling a little -50°C... -5°C suddenly feels like t-shirt and shorts weather! The next weeks forecast is for temperatures ABOVE freezing again... so I'll have no excuse (other than MUD!) and I'll get out for more rides and hopefully some longer ones and take some pictures to post over on the bike blog.
DeleteI was thinking of doing a visual bird list again this year. so I might be posting those on the Art blog soon!?
I've been out of mountain biking for many years. The largest tyre width used to be 2.2 inches. How big are those tyres, they are huge
ReplyDeleteHa-ha! Yeah! It's a fat bike and the tires are generally 4-5". I think this one has 4.5" tires. Not a standard mountain bike thing, they are specific fat bikes and are designed for riding on loose/soft surfaces - like sand or SNOW! I've heard people say thy're good allrounders... but, while I admit they are awesome for riding in the snow, I think they suck for riding anywhere else! Maybe the people that say that are all riding e-bike versions (and there are a LOT of those around these days!!)
DeleteIt's crazy how things change in the cycling industry. Things stay more or less the same for decades and then BOOM, I used to work in a bike store and thought I was really up on bikes and then I went to buy finnegan a new bike one year only to discover there aren't 26" wheels anymore!? Everything switched to 27.5" or 29"!? (The 29" wheels had been around for a while, and I was aware of them but it was a bit more of a niche thing because UCI racing bikes still all had to be 26"... I'd never heard of 27.5"!?)
Lol -40 degrees. Here abouts we think it is cold when it is 40 degrees (F) in the dead of winter.
ReplyDeleteAs for the store, that is great, good to have another option. There is one here, but I have never been there, since so far the FLGS has had what I needed. (and it is pretty far even by car). I just looked it up on Google, and no bike rack to be seen at the one here, so good on the strip mall builders up there for putting them in.
It's kind of nuts where we live, if you think about it too much... there is an 80+°C swing between our winter lows and summer highs (which keep getting HIGHER!)...
DeleteI have a feeling i'm going to be poking my nose in there on the regular through the summer - especially when I'm out that way anyway visiting the swale.
Being able to ride on multi-use trails for 95% of the way, bike racks in front of the stores, and a break for the store employee/s are all very good things! And kudos to you for biking everywhere. I used to do that when I was younger, fitter, and lived in a milder climate. :)
ReplyDeleteGot iced in for a week here recently. We just aren't equipped for that sort of thing, since it happens so infrequently. I was fortunate in being able to wait it out. Many are not so lucky.
Oh, I don't bike EVERYWHERE... I sometimes walk or take the bus... Luckily I live very centrally and it's a relatively small city.
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