There's Something Really Silly About.......
#1
Ol' Paint
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There's Something Really Silly About.......
a gray bearded 58 yr old jogging along beside his bicycle, but I did it anyway. Let me digress......I frequently, but not always, bike commute to work. When I do, I usually ride during my lunch break to a Sub sandwich shop about a mile and half away for some relatively cheap and nutrition friendly vittles.
Today, however, I was surprised by a flat just about the time I reached the ubiquitous Wmart. Naturally, I had left my tools and pump at the library where I work. (Yes, there are at least two of us who work library circulation). Since I wanted another frame pump anyway I went inside the Wmart to buy a spare, hoping that I would be able to keep air in the tire long enough to make it back to work. It was not to be. I grabbed some food, pumped up the tire and did my best to sprint my way back. I didn't make it an eighth of a mile before the tire was down. What to do? What to do?
Clearly pumping up the tire was one more exercise in futility and I have enough of those in my life. I started walking briskly and then flashed on all the thoroughly exhausted and bedraggled cyclists I had seen walking their bicycles along the sidewalks. My thoughts when I saw them were never sympathetic and could probably be summarized by "Poor beggar! Is he ever out of shape! Shouldn't be riding a full suspension Next on the street in this Texas heat."
I was not going to project that image. Call it pride, or more truthfully, vanity, I refused to take a bicycle for a walk. I started jogging the remaining mile, in helmet, gloves and office attire. Did I look stupid? Probably. Did anyone notice? Probably not. But I held my head high and made it back within the alloted time, tenuous self image intact. Oh, what fragile creatures some egos are!
Fifteen minutes with a patch kit during my afternoon break and the bike was ready to carry me home. No SAG wagon for me.
Today, however, I was surprised by a flat just about the time I reached the ubiquitous Wmart. Naturally, I had left my tools and pump at the library where I work. (Yes, there are at least two of us who work library circulation). Since I wanted another frame pump anyway I went inside the Wmart to buy a spare, hoping that I would be able to keep air in the tire long enough to make it back to work. It was not to be. I grabbed some food, pumped up the tire and did my best to sprint my way back. I didn't make it an eighth of a mile before the tire was down. What to do? What to do?
Clearly pumping up the tire was one more exercise in futility and I have enough of those in my life. I started walking briskly and then flashed on all the thoroughly exhausted and bedraggled cyclists I had seen walking their bicycles along the sidewalks. My thoughts when I saw them were never sympathetic and could probably be summarized by "Poor beggar! Is he ever out of shape! Shouldn't be riding a full suspension Next on the street in this Texas heat."
I was not going to project that image. Call it pride, or more truthfully, vanity, I refused to take a bicycle for a walk. I started jogging the remaining mile, in helmet, gloves and office attire. Did I look stupid? Probably. Did anyone notice? Probably not. But I held my head high and made it back within the alloted time, tenuous self image intact. Oh, what fragile creatures some egos are!
Fifteen minutes with a patch kit during my afternoon break and the bike was ready to carry me home. No SAG wagon for me.
__________________
"In my cathedral,
colored glass holds no candle to
sunlight through trees."
-- Leon Briggs
"In my cathedral,
colored glass holds no candle to
sunlight through trees."
-- Leon Briggs
#2
His Brain is Gone!
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Interesting, what kinds of crazy things we are motivated to do.
Just today I saw a sight that I had never seen before. I saw this teenager working on his BMX bike. Then he rode it off and I could see that something wasn't quite right. About 5 minutes later, a car comes down the rode with a bicycle right beside of it, keeping pace. Except the bicycle was riderless. The teenager I had seen before was reaching out the window and holding the frame, while the car was moving at around 30 mph. I was sure I was going to see the bike flip at any second, but he kept it under contro and they disappeared around a corner.
BTW, Wal-Mart sells patch kits.
Just today I saw a sight that I had never seen before. I saw this teenager working on his BMX bike. Then he rode it off and I could see that something wasn't quite right. About 5 minutes later, a car comes down the rode with a bicycle right beside of it, keeping pace. Except the bicycle was riderless. The teenager I had seen before was reaching out the window and holding the frame, while the car was moving at around 30 mph. I was sure I was going to see the bike flip at any second, but he kept it under contro and they disappeared around a corner.
BTW, Wal-Mart sells patch kits.
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"Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen." Louis L'Amour
There are two types of road bikers: bikers who are faster than me, and me. Bruce Cameron - Denver Post
"Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen." Louis L'Amour
There are two types of road bikers: bikers who are faster than me, and me. Bruce Cameron - Denver Post
#5
His Brain is Gone!
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My local Wal-Mart does not sell 700 tubes. Largest they carry is 26".
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"Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen." Louis L'Amour
There are two types of road bikers: bikers who are faster than me, and me. Bruce Cameron - Denver Post
"Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen." Louis L'Amour
There are two types of road bikers: bikers who are faster than me, and me. Bruce Cameron - Denver Post
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All the ones around here carry 27"/700c tubes.
#7
Time for a change.
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Hope thsat the lesson is learnt- Always carry the wedge on the bike.
Glad I don't have to use a library all that often. All those sweaty bodies after taking a bike for a jog would get through to me after a couple of minutes.
Glad I don't have to use a library all that often. All those sweaty bodies after taking a bike for a jog would get through to me after a couple of minutes.
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How long was I in the army? Five foot seven.
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I was not going to project that image. Call it pride, or more truthfully, vanity, I refused to take a bicycle for a walk. I started jogging the remaining mile, in helmet, gloves and office attire. Did I look stupid? Probably. Did anyone notice? Probably not. But I held my head high and made it back within the alloted time, tenuous self image intact. Oh, what fragile creatures some egos are!
Kind of like when you fail to unclip at a stop light and ignominiously topple over, quickly look around to see if anyone notices (does anyone ever fail to notice?), then pretend like you actually planned on pulling this humorous stunt.
Not that I have ever done this.
#9
Ol' Paint
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Agreed! My excuse (and it is lame) is that I collect and rehab vintage steel bikes and right now I have seven bikes I ride regularly. When I commute it's easier just to toss clothes, tools, everything in a backpack and hit the road than it is to dismantle/remantle (is that a word?) my gear when I change rides. I park outside and do not like to leave anything on the bike that is easily removeable. I think my new strategy will be to keep a smaller lightweight backpack for tools in the bulkier one and strap that one on for short hops. Give me time and I can rationalize anything.
__________________
"In my cathedral,
colored glass holds no candle to
sunlight through trees."
-- Leon Briggs
"In my cathedral,
colored glass holds no candle to
sunlight through trees."
-- Leon Briggs
#10
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Tools in a backpack. I would not like to come off and land on my back with that little spinebreaker strapped to me.
Jim
Jim
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Scott
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and there extra thick. I only need to pump mine up every 2 or 3 weeks.
I always get off my bike and push it the last 1/4 or 1/2 mile home. This flushes the blood from muscles your not using when biking preventing aches and pains and it adds strength.
I always get off my bike and push it the last 1/4 or 1/2 mile home. This flushes the blood from muscles your not using when biking preventing aches and pains and it adds strength.
#12
Ol' Paint
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Actually, this is kinda funny, since I've always landed on my head and never my back! Love those helmets.
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"In my cathedral,
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-- Leon Briggs
"In my cathedral,
colored glass holds no candle to
sunlight through trees."
-- Leon Briggs
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Came off mine last year landed on my back and cracked 2 ribs. If I had had anything harder in my back pocket apart from a tissue it could have been a lot worse.
Jim
Jim
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Kind of like when you fail to unclip at a stop light and ignominiously topple over, quickly look around to see if anyone notices (does anyone ever fail to notice?), then pretend like you actually planned on pulling this humorous stunt.
Not that I have ever done this.
Not that I have ever done this.