Small bits of metal in all the wrong places. 🤬
I didn’t even make it out of the campground before I got a flat.
Without boring you with minute technical details, I lost a small metal bit that connects a shifter to a 3 speed internal gear hub while removing the wheel. This, of course, is a special brompton part. Uhoh.
No problem, I figure. I’ll get my spare tube on and roll with 2 gears to the bike shop 1 km away where surely something can be macgivered.
Fuck.
I spent about 2 hours working on patching 2 tubes and failing miserably. I swear there with 27 leaks between them. I don’t know what the hell was going on. On the bright side I fixed a 7 seven year olds brakes (since the shop was closed) and mom said I made their day.
Two buses, one train, one cab and 2 hours later I am back in San Francisco at a brompton shop. One day I hope to meet a mechanic who doesn’t say “you are really hard on your bike.” Still, big ups to Huckleberry bikes. Saved my behind and now I have a completely new tire and 4 (!!!) new tubes. I’m not taking chances.
If it weren’t for the crazy good barbacoa burrito across the street from the closed bike shop today would have been a total disaster. Makes my Calamity Falls day seem quaint.
Another cab ride and 20 km of both the best and worst parts of yesterday’s ride and I am right back where I started at Francis Beach Campground. Could be worse! (And almost was. The 12 year old park ranger didn’t want to let me stay again because hiker biker spots are only for one night. Playing with fire, that kid was.)
As an aside, my neighbors last night toured the world with children on tandem bikes in the early aughts and wrote a book about it. Pretty cool.
What a day! Super cool about the kid’s brakes. Also, for the record, I certainly wasn’t sipping lattes…, you may remember while I waited in that 90 degree heat wondering what the hell happened to you, that psycho potato farmer was picking up on me; ahhhhh, Calamity Falls.
I remember you sipping lattes
Well, I guess if this was going to happen you were in the best place. You could go back to San Fran, have the bike taken care of at a Brompton shop who obviously would have the part needed…..you had a delicious burrito and help a little kid. A good day all in all. So get up and get going on your epic bike ride, no more problems! Safe biking.
This is true
Wow. What a day. Hope this one is smooth sailing with lots of beautiful sights. Go easy on that bike!
thanks Chad, entertaining for sure and kudo’s to helping out that 2036 Tour de France winner with his/her brakes! I think they filmed Caddyshack near there – just saying – be careful in the morning : ), that there 12yr old park ranger would surely give you a hard time if you’re still there tomorrow night. Ride safe my friend.