Notes from Steve

I was all set to bike Saturday with a group - it was a planned 50-mile ride for a cause - and then we talked and saw that the chance of rain was at 100%.  (Literally, it said 100%.)  We changed it to Sunday.  It didn’t rain.  So … about 3:00 on Saturday afternoon, I thought - no rain, I’m riding.  About a half mile in - I unknowingly went over glass and popped my back tire.  I then walked my bike back to my place in Des Moines and drove to the bike shop because it would have taken me a long time to do it on my own*.  I returned frustrated because my day of good exercise was ruined - I ran instead, which was fine.  (Except for the predatory geese.)

The lesson I learned was multi-fold. 1. Don’t fret over the weather app.  It makes up stuff. 2. Don’t ride over sketchy glass shard-filled roads.  3. Learn how to change your tires.  (#3 is hard, and I suppose I should learn because I get a lot of flats, but …)

I had a 1974 Dodge Dart in high school.  It was the worst car ever made.  It smelled, leaked, rusted, and cut out every time I took a left turn.  It was awful.  I used to tell my dad that if it got a flat, I’d push it into the ditch and walk away.  With my bike, if I get a flat and I’m far away - I won’t throw it away, but I will chain it up and call an Uber**.  It’s important to have “just in case” plans.  Boy Scout motto: Be Prepared.

*The repair guy took 20 minutes and was visibly frustrated because it was so hard to fix.  This validated my decision.
**I do have extra tubes and the stuff needed to change a tire with me, as well as a bike chain lock and an Uber app.