One of those days!
My friend Karyn and I took a bike ride this morning. My first ride in two weeks! It was so nice to get out and ride. It was kind of chilly when we started. My bike computer said 41 degrees. Not sure how much I trust it, however it was pretty cool, but sunny. We started up Highway 1 and went past Davenport. We went maybe 2 miles down Swanton road, turned around and headed for home. It was just a very pleasent ride ...
About 5 or 6 miles from home, my back tire went flat. I replaced the tube and we started again. About half a mile later, the same tire went flat again! Uh-oh. So I got off the bike and got ready to fix the same tire AGAIN! This time, my second spare tube was gone and the levers I used to fix the first flat were gone. Hmm, I must not have zipped up the bike bag and they must have fallen out in the last half mile. Luckily, Karyn had a spare tube and loaned me her levers. I proceeded to fix the same tire AGAIN. Meanwhile Karyn rode back the half mile to try to find my spare tube and my levers. By the time I put in the new tube, Karyn had returned, but she was not able to find anything that I had dropped.
We started again. I went about 10 feet this time, before the same back tire went flat AGAIN! (Noticing a pattern yet?) By this time we had run out of spare tubes and decided to patch one of the flat tubes. We got out the patch kit and started to work on the tube. We determined where the tube was cut and cleaned it really well. Pulled out the tube of glue and ... the tube was empty!
Now, we are starting to talk about Karyn riding back to my house, and getting my wife to drive back and pick me up. About this time, a group of very friendly bikers ride past and ask if we need any help. We ask if they have any glue. They stop and instead offer us another bike tube. Yay! I offer money (which they refuse) and then thank them profusely. That was so nice of them.
They ride off and I am pleasently suprised that Karyn did not ride off with them. Against her better judgement, she decided to stay and assist me in my misery. So I proceed to fix the same tire a THIRD time! I replace the tube and then pump up the tire. As I pull off the pump, the stem breaks and all of the air rushes out of the tube, again. Noooooo! So I pull out my mobile phone to call my wife and ... no phone coverage.
So, Karyn takes off riding to my house. I clean up the mess that I had made and sit back. Karyn gets to the house and ... my wife is not in a position to come get me. So she gives Karyn the keys to her car and Karyn returns to pick me up. Karyn gets me home and she asks for her levers back. I reach into my jersey pocket and find her levers, my levers and my 2nd spare tube! When I thought that I had lost my levers and my second spare tube, I had actually put them in my jersey pocket instead of my bike bag. Ooops ...
Thankfully, Karyn was able to keep her humor through this sordid escapade. Now that several hours have passed, I find it pretty funny too. Also, she correctly points out that it could have been much worse. It could have happened 20 miles from home, rather than 5 or 6. Or I could have been riding alone.
About 5 or 6 miles from home, my back tire went flat. I replaced the tube and we started again. About half a mile later, the same tire went flat again! Uh-oh. So I got off the bike and got ready to fix the same tire AGAIN! This time, my second spare tube was gone and the levers I used to fix the first flat were gone. Hmm, I must not have zipped up the bike bag and they must have fallen out in the last half mile. Luckily, Karyn had a spare tube and loaned me her levers. I proceeded to fix the same tire AGAIN. Meanwhile Karyn rode back the half mile to try to find my spare tube and my levers. By the time I put in the new tube, Karyn had returned, but she was not able to find anything that I had dropped.
We started again. I went about 10 feet this time, before the same back tire went flat AGAIN! (Noticing a pattern yet?) By this time we had run out of spare tubes and decided to patch one of the flat tubes. We got out the patch kit and started to work on the tube. We determined where the tube was cut and cleaned it really well. Pulled out the tube of glue and ... the tube was empty!
Now, we are starting to talk about Karyn riding back to my house, and getting my wife to drive back and pick me up. About this time, a group of very friendly bikers ride past and ask if we need any help. We ask if they have any glue. They stop and instead offer us another bike tube. Yay! I offer money (which they refuse) and then thank them profusely. That was so nice of them.
They ride off and I am pleasently suprised that Karyn did not ride off with them. Against her better judgement, she decided to stay and assist me in my misery. So I proceed to fix the same tire a THIRD time! I replace the tube and then pump up the tire. As I pull off the pump, the stem breaks and all of the air rushes out of the tube, again. Noooooo! So I pull out my mobile phone to call my wife and ... no phone coverage.
So, Karyn takes off riding to my house. I clean up the mess that I had made and sit back. Karyn gets to the house and ... my wife is not in a position to come get me. So she gives Karyn the keys to her car and Karyn returns to pick me up. Karyn gets me home and she asks for her levers back. I reach into my jersey pocket and find her levers, my levers and my 2nd spare tube! When I thought that I had lost my levers and my second spare tube, I had actually put them in my jersey pocket instead of my bike bag. Ooops ...
Thankfully, Karyn was able to keep her humor through this sordid escapade. Now that several hours have passed, I find it pretty funny too. Also, she correctly points out that it could have been much worse. It could have happened 20 miles from home, rather than 5 or 6. Or I could have been riding alone.
posted by Steve @ 2:24 PM
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