Hey!!!

Hello Loyal Blog Readers!

Sorry I haven't been a good blogger while I've been on break from school, but I've tried to make the best out of my free time while I have it.  I have ridden quite a bit lately - a bunch on Mill Mountain and even some at the Cove.  I won't bore you with details of each ride.  Wednesdays have seen the Chicky ride grow in leaps and bounds.  Last week we had 8 riders which was an all time high.  What was also cool about this group is that every person is a strong rider!  We even have the escort of Gordon W. who I think is amused by the open, candid conversations we have.  While riding at the Cove last week before the group ride, I did get to see a black bear!  I just love them.  They are so pretty.  I've also made a few new friends on Wednesday nights.  We have hopes of keeping the ride going through the winter which will be the first time I've ever know a Chicky ride to survive cold temperatures and the darkness.  I hope it lasts, I look forward to this ride every week and I always leave feeling as if these friendships could span the test of time.

A few of us got together on Tuesday nights to ride as well.  Last Tuesday ended in a flat tire for me and very frustrating hike back up Mill Mtn.  I also flatted the same tire on Saturday and have now decided to go back to running tubeless tires.  I am awaiting the arrival of my tires on Friday so that hopefully I can do the installation myself.  It doesn't look very hard, just requires attention to detail and persistence of which I possess both.  With the 29er on the shelf for a bit, I rode my 26" full squish bike on Sunday.  I left from home with the goal of riding down to Mill Mtn and riding the trails a bit before riding home.  The trip to downtown is about 6 miles from my house, so when I got to the far reaches of Crystal Spring, I was pushing 7 miles.  I noticed my front tire was soft and thought no f*&#ing way do I have another f*&#ing flat.  So I stopped under a tree, added some air with my hand pump and sure enough, FLAT.  I hung my head and debated options.  I elected to ride up to Fern Park where it's very shadey.  I removed the front tire and searched the tube for the hole.  Found and soon found something sticking through the tire.  Ignitors grip great, but are thin!!!  So I got the foreign object out the tire, but there were some threads that still were sticking inward rather abruptly.  I knew as soon as I put a tube in there it would get popped again.  I debated my options - call my Dad for a ride home, walk back to the hospital where I work and get some tape or...  use a dollar bill to line the inside of the tire where the hole is.  The dollar was the answer.  I got the tube in and inflated it to keep the dollar in its spot and that's where it remains as I type.

So I thought I'd be back on the trail pretty soon after... wrong.  In my ever graceful skill, I knocked the brake pad out of the caliper trying to put the tire back.  F*&#!  Frustration was setting in, but soon I was able to manipulate the spring enough to get it out and reinstall the brakepads.  Finally I got to ride!  I ended up riding 21.25 miles.  ~12 were roads and greenways, but any mileage helps at this point!  I have a race on Sept 17th that I hope to do fairly well in.  I did so poorly in the last race I did way back in the beginning of summer that I feel like I have something to prove.  Why I don't know, I guess I put to much pressure on myself.

Anyway, readers - thanks for stopping by.  I hope to one day share more adventurous stories with you!  Meanwhile, school starts back again next week.  Next to the last Module.  Got some information on the last Module today and it's got me scared silly.  YIKES!