Wrong address, wrong turn, frayed wires, loose spokes...and other fun.

Put my bike in the car and took the car to the wrong repair shop yesterday morning. Saw the address and tiny photo online, assumed it was this one shop a half mile from the house, that shop was no longer in business. The actual shop was only a 1/4 mile from the house and would have only added a 1/4 to my bike commute, but I turned right instead of left, forgetting about an alternate route I used to take on my old commute that ended 5 years ago. My mistake added a mile to the commute, so no real big deal.

At lunch I walked to Walmart and picked up fresh batteries for the dead spoke lights on my main commuter. I rode in to work in the dark Monday and noticed the lights were out. I popped in the new batteries and still no light. After 10 years, the cable from the battery housing to the Monkey Light spoke light had frayed where it enters the hard, acrylic protective layer over the circuit board...so no easy DIY fix. So I tossed it, since the front blinkie on the front fork dances off the spokes anyways.

Then, while I was removing the lights I discovered two loose front spokes on the other side of the wheel from the lights. My 2015 Charge Plug (non-electric) has disk brakes, but close-fit fenders, so an out-of-true wheel will rub...but the wheel was still true. It did bring back memories of how the original rear wheel kept breaking spokes and how the spokes kept loosening until I replaced the damn thing after 4 years.

The commute in itself was uneventful, and the ride home was nice as well.

My car, a 2021 Ford Escape will also be fine after a new right, rear passenger window lift and motor are installed and covered under the extended warranty from CarMax....I hope.