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You crack me up! Literally... September 23, 2008Leave a comment ;)
I'm stressed!! Actually, my bike is stressed. My rear wheel to be specific. So stressed, I have cracks propagating from every other spoke. I just happened to listen to the little voice in the back of my head again and decided to stop in at Old Town Bikes in downtown Colorado Springs. While they were changing my tire, they discovered my rear rim had numerous cracks. While I waited, Jerry laced a new rim and had me ready to go in a couple of hours. The pictures should give you a good idea of the problem I faced. Jerry and the rest of the folks that were in the shop today were absolutely superb in their support and did their very best to get me going down the road. Thanks so much for your help! I left JR's house on Nevada Avenue and stopped by the house of a very good friend, Bill Wallisch. Bill has worked with the astronauts on perfecting their communication skills and he has set up an awesome video-teleconference capability in his home office. He was in the process of conducting program for General Mills and graciously let me sit in and watch. I headed south along the Front Range Bike path, hoping that I could somehow make it to Pueblo without incurring too much pain in the process. That wasn't the case however. I tried using Hwy 85/87 until it became part of Interstate 25. Since it is illegal in CO to pedal along the interstate, I followed my GPS until I ended up along Meridian Road. My fears were realized when I ended up pedaling about 15 miles on a dirt road. To say that it was less than fun is an understatement. In some places the road was better than a paved highway, in other places it was like getting my teeth drilled without Novocaine! I wasn't about to turn back though. I was in it for the long haul! I finally saw pavement like a shining beacon of hope, glistening in the distance! No more bone jarring sinusoidal washboard dirt obstacles to overcome. I rolled into Pueblo with a sore fanny and no desire to continue pedaling. I met Denny Mu and decided to share a hotel room for the night. He is off to Denver tomorrow to see an old friend and I will head east toward Lamar. At 121 miles, I doubt I will get that far, but it is worth a try. As I broke out the computer tonight, I realized that I misplaced my charger and may end up without power for the next couple of days. If you don't see my blog, that is the reason. I am not being lazy, just forgetful! Denny and I spent the evening at the Mo Mo Japanese Restaurant. The owner is Korean, so he and Denny struck up an immediate friendship and we spent the next three hours enjoying Jun Park's hospitality! (and sake!) If you ever get to Pueblo and have a hankering for Japanese food, Mo Mo Restaurant is the place to be! Tomorrow I will head toward Lamar, hoping I can get there before nightfall. My desire is to be in OKC by next Wednesday. At 610 miles, it will be a challenge, but isn't that what life is all about? For today's math problem, try to determine how much weight a touring cycle's wheel is supposed to support. Check out some websites that have touring bikes. I would recommend Trek's. I don't believe I am carrying too much gear, but if I have to decrease the total mass I am carrying, than that is what I will do. I am currently packing about 100 pounds on the bike (minus me). Is that a reasonable figure for a Trek 520? If not, what should I be carrying? More Images: ;)
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10 Comments
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Sep 25, 2008 3:06 pm - Bob Williams wrote : Not sure how many spokes are on your wheels but touring wheels normally need 36 spokes to support the additional weight associated with touring. Normal road bike has 32 spokes. The good news on the old wheels was that the spokes held up well and didn't break; so someone laced them evenly. I suspect that Jerry upgraded your wheels to a stronger set. So, avoid feeling guilty about possibly overloading your bike. The bike is fine, but the wheels might have been the weak link in the chain. Stay safe.
Sep 24, 2008 11:46 am - Betty Smith wrote : Chukma John, Your OKC Chickasaw Community Council parade partners are cheering for you on your long trek! No wonder we won the battle at Akia with warriors like you! Hope the stretch to Lamar is much better than the hina iskuno you took yesterday. Keep us informed regarding when and where you will arrive in OKC and we will be there to greet you. Che pisa la cho anoa, Betty
Sep 24, 2008 10:56 am - Donald Smith wrote : John we enjoy your daily blogs and pictures. Safe trip the rest of the way. Uncle Don & Aunt Rubye
Sep 24, 2008 8:23 am - Bill K. wrote : Hey John - Hope all continues to go well! How long will you be in OKC. Ride safe. Bill Add a comment: |
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John also spoke to the General Mills group I was teaching that day via Distance Learning. He was a big hit! Cheers, Bill W.