Thursday, June 11, 2009

Welcome to Mid-June

So this week has been quite the fun bike mechanical week. It all started Sunday on my typical I want to ride instead of swim ride. Here is the post from my training log on beginnertriathlete.com:

I realize I never told my bike story from Sunday:

Went to church and like usual figured I would take a bike ride while the wife went to see her family. In the back of my mind I felt like I should just go swimming at the Y because something didn't feel right. So I went home, changed, got SS Felt Cross Bike ready and headed out. I decided to take a new route. Well on that route I was in a dirt tire track (in deep grass also) and I wrecked as I went to close to the edge - that caused a good laugh.

Then I came to a dirt screen that I usually just ride over on my mountain bike. Front wheel clears then all of a sudden I am going over the handlebars. It grabbed the back chain ring or something and just threw me to the ground. Ok another laugh.

I get to my close single track, hit my helmet on a low branch that I have never even come close to touching, throws me off a little, and I hit a tree - WTF creeps in about now!

Do my short loop and figure I am just heading for pavement and doing an easy ride or I might end up dead. I want to check something so I start breaking and my wheel is skipping. I tighten the headset and take off. Get ready to turn and I nearly go down in the middle of the road - I flatted somewhere along the way and I didn't even know it. Change the flat - say that is what the pool is for and I ride home (uneventfully thankfully!!!) and hit the pool.

That is what makes the worst bike ride ever!

Fast forward to Wednesday evening:

Riding home about 4 miles from the final destination I get a flat. Call SAG wagon in to pick me up since I was so close and I didn't want to waste a CO2 cartridge. Went home and proceeded to changed gearing around, new handlebar tape, handlebar adjustment, flat replacement, and play some catch with my boy.

Fast forward to 4:45am this morning. Something went off in my mind sort of like this:

Well you had to put air in the tube last night again.

Yes, but maybe I forgot to fill it up.

Nah, I wouldn't do that and still ride.

True, then why was the tube low again when you went to take it out again.

I don't know, better check.

Guess what - Flat again!!!!

So that is 3 flats in 3 days. Hope that streak ends soon :)

Ride On!

BTW: GDR and Tour Divide start up this week and next week. Keep an eye out!