malux

So, I got up at 5:30 to get on the bike all excited about my stellar performance yesterday (24 miles @ 15.4mpg - a new record for me). I also got a new helmet light and was looking forward to the ride even though I didn't sleep well the night before.

Anyhow, got out to the garage and remembered I needed to download my data from my HRM; Found the netbook, the irda, and got my data downloaded. A delay, but oh well.

Grabbed the pump, felt my front tire...nothing...flat as a bad pancake. Arrggh.. I had all the tools I needed and thankfully it was in my garage, but still. Another delay - I've never changed a flat before (hence the newbiness).

Went back in the house quietly so as not to wake the kids, fired up youTube and watched a couple of videos on how to change a flat- even managed to get the tire off, then realized I only needed it half off...put it back on, got the tube on and struggled with getting the tire back on but I got it. Pumped it all up....put it back on the bike, remembered to latch in the brakes and was ready to go. I felt victorious for I conquered the flat!

Opened the garage and down the driveway I went...straight into a parked car....That took care of feeling victorious, now I felt like an idiot - especially since it was my friend's car (i'll tell him later today ).

My ride was slow and my legs were not cooperating as yesterday was a hard ride. It felt like a failure all around- just a clunky morning; I was double delayed and it was cold. but I rode. Not as long or fast as I wanted to (about 1 hr), but I rode.

lafenboy

But you rode! That is all ! You rode anyways. Keep it up.

MrClyde

Keep it up. And don't get frustrated if you need a nice easy cruising day on the bike. Any day on the bike is better than being at the office.

And I would recommend drinking less. One gallon every 15.4 miles seems like a bit much.

Doohickie

Sometimes you just have days like that. The more you ride, the more rare they become.

malux

I hope so I told my buddy about his car; he took it well. I didn't scratch the paint or dent his door so that's good. I'll be spending some time this evening buffing it out, other than that, it all turned out ok.

Thanks for the encouragement!

Neil_B

Was that your first time running into a car? If so, well done! :-)

malux

i've repressed that memory, i have no idea what you're talking about But, "I have a friend" who ran into a parked car for the first time today..hehehe

Mr. Beanz

Pretty normal for the day after a hard effort. It would have been wise to set out for a rcovery ride. Maybe a 10-15 miler at easy effort. This would work the fatigue and lactic acid from your muscles. Maybe another ez day or two before trying for the next hard effort. You can't do hard efforts all the time or you tear down the body. It needs to recoup too.

cappuccino911

not bad for a first tire change either, once you mentioned creeping in the house to not wake the kids I thought you were going to say that you rolled down the driveway and BANG!!!! gunshot loud blowout from pinching the tube between the rim! now your next test is to patch that tube up and reuse it!

Nightshade

You are not alone by any means. There are lots of people like me that fight everyday just to walk or to ride since our legs are not 100% as they were when we were younger. It may be a fight but to not ride is to court a wheelchair and I don't wanna go there.

Hang in there and ride even if it's only pokey slow in town riding.

skilsaw

I had a newbiness disaster at the end of August.
I picked up a new bike at 5:00 pm on Thursday. Got in a 26 km ride on Friday. Okay so far. Saturday put the bike rack on the car so I could drive 60 kms to a trail I have never been on. Loaded the bike, then backed into the car behind me sandwiching my rear wheel between the cars. now that's a PO.

The collision put about a 5mm warp in the wheel. Went to the bike shop and their wheel guy trued it while I waited. With the warp in the wheel, to get the wheel true the spoke tension needs to be is uneven. My brand new rear wheel is a bomb waiting to go off. I know it will break spokes. I just don't know when.

As for crashing into a parked car, we've all done it.
Glad your day worked out in the end. Fixing a flat tire for the first time is a success too.
Way to go.

2ndBackwall

You are fortunate that your first tube change was in the comfort of your own garage.

Would have been a little more exciting if it happened during your ride, in the dark, with home a wee dot on the horizon.

Good that you persevered.

malux

It was a blessing that it happened in the way it did for sure!

malux

thanks for the encouragement, i was very proud of myself after a 25 mile ride today with no wheel issues

Doohickie

Exactly.

Actually, this reminds me of a study I read that said optimistic people are luckier than pessimists. A pessimist would have given up and climbed back into bed. The optimist looks at "mishaps" and sees the good in them (I learned how to change a tire, versus, I got a flat tire). You were lucky to learn how to change a flat in favorable circumstances.

malux

ok, i can't resist. This leads me to my favorite joke:

A pessimist looks at a glass and says "It's half empty"
An optimist looks at a glass and says "It's half full"
An engineer looks at a glass and says: "You know, that glass is twice as big as it needs to be!"

hehe, it still makes me giggle




A

Neil_B

A pessimist wears a Road ID tag that says "In case of accident, I'm not surprised."

thestoutdog

tornado60

Some days we accomplish victories in speed, time, etc. Some days the victory is that you and the bike got a ride in. Both are worthy of pride and not accomplished by all people.

fc_

An optimist wears a Road ID tag that says "Accident? What Accident??"
An engineer wears a Road ID tag that says "That was quite a display of elementary physics."