Wednesday, June 14, 2017

This is what it looks like when I get a catastrophic flat far from home.

This is what it looks like when I get a catastrophic flat far from home. 

I hit a huge pothole the other night and had a fantastic blowout. 
We had fund raised enough scratch to get me new tires but I had only replaced the front. 
The back blew out in the dark at 12th and SE Hawthorne and I had to get it to 39th and Powell (all uphill). 
The longer we walked the worse off the back situation got. I told Olive to go home and I would see her in an hour or two, she refused. 
We walked and talked for a bit, had a nice visit by Mark, We could have asked someone for a ride but we didn't want that. The bike carries me everywhere and now it's time for me to carry my bike.
 After a while the tube parts rolled into the hub incapacitating the back wheel. it's too big to steer and push so I ended up walking my bike sideways on the corner of the front wheel. That's where the balance point was. 

It was the only way to keep the steering and propulsion working together.  This worked but it was exhausting.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             



As we got into our neighborhood, Olive saw me straining and complaining and offered to take a turn. 
I laughed (she didn't laugh). 
She actually took hold of the heavy bike like a power lifter, strained a bit, wobbled and then just like that she was on her way. 
I was impressed. Good one Olive! 
Now I have both wheels replaced and I put the names of the people donated fundage on the new wheels.
 We are very grateful. 
 So if you see some funny antiquated writing on my wheels it's the names of the folks who literally keep our wheels on the ground. 

Thank you Andra, Lyle, Karl, Espen for donating the duckettes for new tire and chain. 
Big thanks to Olive for taking a turn and bringing the Behemoth into the home stretch.
Now my bike is rolling swimmingly well.  Right on! http://oliveanddingo.com/


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