The weekend started off with a bang! Friday I installed new tubes & tires on my 'green machine' entirely by myself. Yes, I am patting myself on the back. I'm proud to say I will never be stranded with a flat tire, unable to change it myself. Remembering to bring a tube could be a separate issue. Why the change? Smaller tires [25"] will be a bit faster and these babies, I'm pretty sure, are made of steel. Darn near steel, anyhow. (This theory is proven on Saturday's ride.) They will also last for 3000+ miles. A sound investment when you're living on your bike.
Saturday was filled with Saturday Market fun and some near death, . . . er crashing, experiences. Heidi and I headed out to the market for a little organic food shopping, which ended in some yummy food purchases, lunch, and a visit to the LBS (local bike shop).
Then end of our excursion brought the arrival of my 70 miles of training, spinning toward Eagle and beyond. After nearly being run over by a distracted cyclist on Friendship Bridge and averting a potentially terrible wreck with a two-year-old-darting-speed-demon on the Greenbelt, I made it to the safety of the open road. I rode out past the Emmett highway to Pollard Road before I thought of turning back for home. Of course I always forget to take photos on the road, until the very memorable image below. I wanted to make sure I stopped to get a shot of Hill Road at Dry Creek Cemetery (truly lovely stretch of road). But when I say 'stopped' I mean crashed!!
Usually when I dismount (or clip out) I do it from the left side. This time I had too much weight on my right side and went down like a bundle of bricks. Can we say OUCH? To top it off I landed in a patch of puncture vine (also affectionately known as Goathead City)! Yes, I know it's funny. After I was able to unhook and get upright, brushing myself off and plucking goatheads from my rearend, I was ready to hit the road. This was when I realized my right break lever was bent and not in a good way.
Uh oh . . .
After a good dose of elbow grease I got the lever back into position and headed toward home. My chain was screeching noisily but didn't appear too damaged. Really, I didn't have much of a choice. I had to ride, walk, or thumb it home. This got me thinking a first-aid kit might be essential on these long outings.
I made it 50 of the 70 miles. I was a little disappointed, but I figured I earned those miles with my skinned shin and bruised thigh. Sunday would bring better mileage.
Sunday brought another day of beautiful weather. I headed out toward Discovery Park for an easy 20 miles before venturing to Eagle. What I saw on the Greenbelt made me stop and shake my head. Horses! Two riders saddled up side-by-side riding along the pathway. Really!? I watched in disbelief for a couple minutes before it dawned on me to get a photo (see below).
Hey, I love horses but on the Greenbelt they are a little too unpredictable to be dealing with (a little larger than darting children). I could tell one of the riders was having a little difficulty getting his steed to behave. I decided this was my sign; off in another direction I headed.
I hit the Bench and then accosted northwest Boise. After all my tooling around I stopped by Hawkins Pac-Out for some dinner action (big, juicy cheeseburger heaven). Hey, good grub can make 70 miles feel like a piece of cake.
All in all it was a good weekend filled with biking adventure and lessons of the road. Stay tuned for tips on changing out your handlebar tape.
Until next time . . . keep peddling and rocking National Bike Month!
Lesley B.
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