technoadventure
well, starting off a monday intent of getting some riding in this week, i fell across one of those commuting 'adventures' that happens once in a while (i remember a good one last year). unfortunately, it is due to my lack of preparation, which makes it all the more foolish.
in the a.m. i got in a pleasant 8 miles. i took the flat a.m. route, plus added on the Oak st. connector. and at the start of the a.m. i tested my bike computer on my .6m test distance that i've used for a variety of things. spot on. well, the afternoon proved much more ridiculous. i rode after work to an after school supervising commitment. entering Central Pk i nailed the back wheel and realized immediately that it wasn't good. lo and behold the dreaded pinch flat was coming. i prepared for the worst, which came with 30sec. i took the tire off and prepared to pump up the tube pinch only to find that somehow my pump had a tiny broken piece of plastic, thusly making it incapable of depressing the valve gizmo. well, i DID have 1 CO2 cartridge, so i thought i could get home on low pressure. comes to find out that i didn't have an extra tube, so i got the patch kit out. well, the pinch was in such a way that the two patches somewhat overlapped, thereby making them both peel. simple fact was i was screwed. i ended up having a parent drive me home with the bike in the back of the minivan, that of which my wife was quite glad. nonetheless i was dismayed almost completely by my commuter inpreparedness. i mean, dork roadies or onceaseason bike folks may not be prepared, but my job is to be ready to change a tire at 6.15 in the dark.
after i got home i took L to the bikeshop, bought him a new helmet, and bought myself 2 tubes (1 for the wheel and 1 extra) and a new minipump. pretty damn weak effort.
9 miles/13.5avg/65 a.m./85 p.m.
in the a.m. i got in a pleasant 8 miles. i took the flat a.m. route, plus added on the Oak st. connector. and at the start of the a.m. i tested my bike computer on my .6m test distance that i've used for a variety of things. spot on. well, the afternoon proved much more ridiculous. i rode after work to an after school supervising commitment. entering Central Pk i nailed the back wheel and realized immediately that it wasn't good. lo and behold the dreaded pinch flat was coming. i prepared for the worst, which came with 30sec. i took the tire off and prepared to pump up the tube pinch only to find that somehow my pump had a tiny broken piece of plastic, thusly making it incapable of depressing the valve gizmo. well, i DID have 1 CO2 cartridge, so i thought i could get home on low pressure. comes to find out that i didn't have an extra tube, so i got the patch kit out. well, the pinch was in such a way that the two patches somewhat overlapped, thereby making them both peel. simple fact was i was screwed. i ended up having a parent drive me home with the bike in the back of the minivan, that of which my wife was quite glad. nonetheless i was dismayed almost completely by my commuter inpreparedness. i mean, dork roadies or onceaseason bike folks may not be prepared, but my job is to be ready to change a tire at 6.15 in the dark.
after i got home i took L to the bikeshop, bought him a new helmet, and bought myself 2 tubes (1 for the wheel and 1 extra) and a new minipump. pretty damn weak effort.
9 miles/13.5avg/65 a.m./85 p.m.
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