Originally Posted by
spokenword
buzzman -- were you passing the BU bridge on Comm. Ave around 6pm or so last night and do you ride with a single pannier?
on my way home I was stopped at the light in front of the bridge, when another highly visible commuter caught up and stopped behind me. We both continued on until about the Comm Ave. / Brighton Ave. split and they continued on Comm while I went up Brighton. It was kind of nice to ride with someone who was about my speed.
Then, a few blocks afterwards, I almost got right hooked by a car and wound up swerving to avoid and hit a fairly deep pothole that blew out my front tire.
As I setup to fix the flat, I realized that I was out of spare tubes and that the vulcanizing fluid in my patch kit was so old that it wasn't actually adhering to anything. Wound up rolling up to the new WGBH complex and canvassed various other bike commuters to see if anyone had a tube that they'd sell or a patch kit that I could borrow. Take half an hour and six riders before finding someone who actually had a repair kit or tube. I know I shouldn't talk given that I was the beggar, but what the hell people? Be prepared. One guy actually told me that his solution for a flat tire was to call a cab.
nope, not me. would have been a cool BF sighting if it was. I'm always wondering if I'm seeing a BF rider on my commutes. Last night was a later night for me I would have been there around 7:30p. Black bike with a milkcrate jammed with stuff and bright orange reflective construction worker's t-shirt, headlamp, front light, blinky on helmet and back of rack- I do stand out.
And I carry a spare tube
and a patch kit. I would have loved to have helped you out.
comm ave road ride in today- was there a tailwind cause it felt speedy?! on the ride home I rushed to BU to meet up with my wife and since I was running late I told her to head on out and I'd catch her on the bike path. I hammered like a fiend from the South End and got all the way to Harvard Square and still didn't catch up to her- then I called her and she was somehow behind me! Had to ride back about a mile- how'd that happen?
nice ride home together but she bonked on the ride home I think it was the very first time in her life that she "hit the wall" riding a bike. She was pooped- we've been working the long hours lately and she's never been so consistent with her commuting. She hasn't missed a day in weeks. She managed to inch by inch her way home with a slight push up the last hill and recovered with an orange juice and cheese and crackers. She's seen me bonk from long road rides where I come home looking like a zombie but she never fully understood it until now.