A 3 Mile Ride

My buddy Jason cautioned me about continuing to ride on my new back tire that now had a fatal puncture wound from my flat on Thursday while jetting down pesky Iron Point Road at 26 mph.

I hate it when he is right.

Yep, flat #3 happened yesterday. Yes, I had a spare tube. And yes, the spare tube was faulty or there was operator error - all yet to be determined by the National Transportation Safety Board. Anyway, the walk home in my socks was only 3 miles. There went my 300 mile week as yesterday was a whopping 3 miles. Impossible to make it all up over the weekend.

After being scolded by a Sacramento Bee Sportswriter for the abhorrent behavior of some of our team members donning our jersey, I desperately needed to get out and ride and demonstrate to the world that we can actually be kind, courteous and safe while riding. He said that he has seen some of our cyclists on the road without helmets and wondered if we were trying to donate our organs at the earliest date possible. Ouch.

The whole ordeal had a glorious outcome. While walking through upscale Gold River in my socks with my bike in hand, I actually wondered if anyone would stop to offer to help. A cyclist, a motorist, somebody... not likely as it was nearing good old rush hour and people had to get home in a hurry, to uh, ummm...what the heck IS the hurry? But that is for another post.

Well, someone did indeed stop. She had a handy bike rack on the back of her car, and off we went. Turns out we had met before, but only in our bike helmets, so it took a couple of minutes to figure that all out. Yes, I wear a helmet. Always. I have been known to put in on backwards, but that is all about learning and spatial orientation or something complicated like that.

There are great people in the world. Mary is one of them. So is Blair, the writer from The Bee who took the time to give me feedback about the impression our team has made on him, albeit not so positive.

Today I will carry 5 spare tubes on my 100 mile ride...just in case.

Ride On.

Flat Tire #2

Yep, second day in a row. Exact same spot on Iron Point Road. Fitting name for the street. I suspect it was the same piece of metal laying on the road. Same noise, same spot, same result. Have to admit it was a bit scary hitting it at 26 mph. We are flying, trying to get back before dark after a very tough hill climbing ride.

I was ready this time. Had a new pump, tubes, new tire (now destroyed)...oh well. I got to thinking last night about the tiny little hassles that occur sometimes in my life. Annoyances, mostly. Flat tires, allergy symptoms, blisters on my feet, poor night of sleep, empty refrigerator, etc. My thoughts turn immediately to those with life-threatening illnesses, like people waiting to receive an organ transplant. Days, weeks, months, years of waiting. The lack of energy and perpetual fatigue. Of course, I am unable to imagine it.

But I get to ride my bike across the country in their honor. Man, I am incredibly blessed.

KM

The Gift of a Flat Tire

There was no stopping me. I was right on track to reach 1,000 miles for the month of February. So what that it was a short month. I had it all planned out. Just had to get in an easy 50 miles yesterday. No problem. I knew I would get home right about dark, but the 1,000 target would be mine! Or so I thought. You see, I am a bit obsessive-compulsive about mileage, being exact, etc. I have been know to ride several miles around my neighborhood at the end of a long ride just to make sure I hit my mileage goal EXACTLY! The real thrill is going in the house and recording all the data in my journal - mileage, time, average mph, average HR, etc.

Then...the flat tire. Not so bad, but my fingers were ice cold and I had a pump that I had never used, and just could not get the doggone thing to work. I swear it was a faulty product, not the operator. Once I gave up on that "worthless" thing that my friend Dave gave to save weight and space on my bike, I limped to a bike shop about a mile away.

The guys at Bicycle Planet were great. They loaned me a pump, dried my tears, gave me some hot cocoa. OK, they loaned me the pump. I began to fill my tire, and of course blew the tube apart because the tire wasn't sealed as my vision is horrendous, especially after being out in the cold of night (I should write mysery novels). Yep, sounded like a drive by shootind, so everyone in the store took cover. Now what? They gave me a tube and got me on the road.

Needless to say, I did not make the 1,000 mark. Got to 993. 1793 miles for 07. Going for 1200 in March.

I plan to carry a floor pump and 7 tubes with me from now on...

By the way, the guys at the bike shop said that the pump I was carrying was a "really good one." Now I can thank Dave for giving it to me, but still blame him for not showing me how to use it. Knowing Dave, he really didn't know either, which I suspect is why he gave to me in the first place.

And to think I am going to ride my bike across the country! It could a long trip.

Keep at it.