Update: 209.4 lbs, 48.8 lbs so far, 38 lb Goal Reached Day 74. - 1.2 lbs to NEW 50 lb goal.The Windsor Island Road Driving Range is about a mile and a half from our house, right along The Loop I normally ride. Their sprinkler system comes on at 6 a.m. sharp -- I know this because I had already been in the entrance to their parking lot for about a half hour when they came on, fixing a flat.
If you've been following along, that's the second flat I've been a part of in the past week. Feeling pretty good about it, since we'd just done one, I jumped right in -- had the wheel off in seconds, tools out, spare tube ready, old tube off, and ready to go. Tried to get the tire on a couple different ways before it finally made sense, and actually had it all put back together in relatively decent time. It was no 1 minute and 19 second tire change, but it was decent enough for a first solo effort.
The problem came when I tried to pump it up. The 'missle launcher' that I carry on my bike, which came through for Nick and I the other night, did NOT for me today. Now, I also need to try a different pump because it also could be the spare tube itself, but this pump is no fun to work with. I'm really considering a portable air gun and CO2 cartridges after this episode. After being there for 35 minutes with no air staying in the tire, I gave up, packed everything away, and started the trek back home.
Since I didn't want to ruin my new cleats, I took my shoes off and carried them in one hand. Since that part of Windsor Island Road is really rough, or at least would be on a flat tube/tire/rim -- I also hoisted the bike up on one shoulder and started the Walk of Shame. So yeah, there was the big brown guy, in socks, walking down Windsor Island Road, with a bike on his shoulder. Really wasn't too bad since that's what most of our trips to Disneyland have felt like...me carrying some 20+ lb kid all over the parks, for 4 days solid.
If any of you have any connections with the City of Keizer, we could use a little better street cleaning...lots of glass, rocks, and other cruddies right in the walking path. Also, if you're ever in a situation where you're walking down a road in your socks, I can strongly suggest walking on the painted stripe, it's the smoothest part of a rough road. Lastly, big thanks to the husband/wife team on the tandem bike that apparently were on an important time trial and didn't even take the time to hollar over and ask if I needed anything...giving the bike community a good name!
Hasta!
So far this year I've ridden:
960 miles.
2 comments:
They could have stopped and pumped up your tire!!!
Oh, now I'm mad. They're probably the ones that blow through stop signs too... oh I can't stand those people.
Oh man. That sucks. I know we're not supposed to use that word...wait, does that apply here?
Anyhow, sorry to hear about that- I can't believe the tandem story...and normally Keizer riders are very cool- were you fixing it when they road by or were you already walking down the road in yout socks? (man i wish i could have seen that)
I blow through stop signs pretty regularly :)
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