It’s my own damn fault. I pulled in with a 30lb bag of potting soil on Sunday afternoon, parked the bike and came upstairs to cool off for a minute. I was so overheated that, well, a minute became a few hours and I decided I would deal with the potting later. But I forgot that I had not locked the bike. Then I got busy with a project and I didn’t go out again until this afternoon… when I walked downstairs to discover a sickeningly empty stairwell where my bike is usually locked securely. There was the lock, as I’d left it. The thief took the bike, the trailer and the potting soil.

I’ve filed a police report, but there is not much I can do otherwise except keep an eye out for it. And humbly ask, Dear Readers, if you would do the same. My bike is distinctive and easy to recognize.

It’s a Surly Long Haul Trucker — Olive Green (I bought it in Sept 2008).

It’s appointed with Brooks honey leather bar tape, B-17s saddle, Brooks tool bag and Brooks mudflap. It has black Planet Bike fenders, a JANDD Expedition rack, a trailer hitch on the rear skewer and a Cannondale rear-mounted kickstand (yes, I know Surly doesn’t approve of the kickstand).

It was ordered as a full bike, so it has the standard equipment, except, I hated the traditional cantilever brakes it came with and swapped them out for more powerful linear-pull brakes (shown in the photo on the right).

Also on the bike were the Incredibell, Trek headlight and Topeak Morph pump you can see in that photo.

The trailer is an Avenir Cargo Trialer.

I would be so grateful if you could keep an eye out for my bike. If you see it, contact OPD, or me. I have a temporary report number T11003328 (I’ll update this with a permanent one if I get it). My phone number is 407-758-4543

Thank you!