Shit a Brick Trick

Today was yet another time in my life that I wished I had paid more attention in Boy Scouts. How can I not "Be Prepared" when I am out on my bike? So many aspects of my life are sooo disorganized or worse, in utter disarray, that whenever I start to think about them, I get an ice cream headache. But, my bike... my bike is my shrine. Everything on it is shiny and new and polished and has it's place...  I spent 3 hours cleaning her up when I first arrived and it wasn't even dirty. Everything has it's place on my bike. It is it's own little world, self contained, self sufficient, simply perfect.

So, today, when I started to feel a bubble in my back tire about 1 hour into my Brick II ride, I was only mildly upset. I've been so lucky with flat tires. I've only had a few in the thousands of miles I've put on that bike. But they certainly seem to come at the wrong time. 

The last flat tire I had was during a race in St. George in 2006. I was able to get it fixed and didn't lose too much time. I chalked it up to experience and continued on my merry way. Today, when I realized the bubble in my tire was another impending flat, I was mildly upset, but not too worried. I have a spare tube, an air pump and all the tools with me to fix the tire ... So, when I pulled over, I was mostly worried that the flat tire would mess up my Brick training for the day.

You can only imagine my surprise when, after I had taken the back rim off, popped the tire off the rim, pulled the old tube out and unravelled the new tube, I realized that my new tube wasn't the right size. It had a long valve stem, but it wasn't long enough!!... no amount of twisting or turning or pulling or swearing was going to make that valve stem stick out far enough to get my trusty tire pump onto it. So, there I was, 13.98 miles into the ride, probably 12 miles from home on a major road that was twinned with no tire, no phone, nobody to call anyways, not really sure of the way home if I wasn't on my bike, and worst of all.. no bus fare!!

So, after reviewing all the expletives in my repertoire, which took a good five, no ten, minutes, I started to walk. After 50 yards, I started to glance over my shoulder for potential rides. I stuck my thumb out at a Volkswagon Camper Van. Buddy gave me the hands up in the air shoulder shrug. He looked as though he sincerely wanted to pick me up so at least I had a bit of a chuckle. I was a sorry looking buckaroo to be sure.

After a few more minutes of walking without the next set of lights appearing to get any closer, I looked back over my shoulder at a new pack of cars coming along.  I stuck out my thumb and immediately a full sized Ford truck began weaving over towards me on the side of the road. 

In a nutshell, the rest of story is that this guy, Graham, a Scot, picks me up in his shiny new truck, (me all covered in dirt and mud) and drives me to the bus stop, about 5 miles away (which I never would have found) and gives me $2.50 bus fare to get me on my way! He told me that I'd best be careful or I'll like it here in vancouver so much, I'll move here. 

He may be right.

Bike 2- Vancouver

So, this week's Brick Training is out the window... need to get new tube and might start packing two tubes ... ohhhh.. and BUS FARE!!

After getting home, I showered and headed off to 4 p.m. class. It was a hot class with Julie! It went pretty well. 

Tomorrow, I am going to get up early and go running with Toni.. 9 am.. :)

So, the number of yoga classes and runs are no longer the same.. Maybe I could run twice one day?