Back At It

Well, getting hit by a car was a major bummer. Yesterday my arms were wicked sore. I'm guessing it was from bracing myself for impact. I decided to load up the Brown Machine in a rental car and drive ahead a few days. So I'm near Baton Rouge, LA now. Today I took it wicked easy. It wasn't the worst ride I've ever been on, but I think it'll take one more day until I'm back to my bad self.

I traveled up "Scenic" highway 61, which turns out is lined by chemical plants. I feel like I may have shaved off a few years by breathing the air near these places. I worry about the folks who live nearby (these plants have a surprising number of houses right across the street).

I got my first flat today. I got a chance to use the pump I brought- the Topeak Road Morph G. It's a pump that's new to me. I spend more time on fat tire/low pressure bikes, so the pumps that I usually carry are very small, and not very high pressure. Well, this guy is a little bigger, but it got my tire up to 90 psi in no time. It wasn't as efficient as a floor pump, but it does have a small, fold out foot peg that turns it into a super mini floor pump (kind of). I didn't use the foot peg today- I don't think it would have made things any easier, but I guess it's a nice option to have. The mini hose kept the valve from getting jerked around/ ripped out, which is super important when you've got a limited supply of replacement tubes... Yep. I'm sold. It was the most pleasant on-the-road flat I've ever fixed.

Hey! That was my first flat fix of 2012. Seems a little crazy, but it made me want to get back to the shop. That's definitely a sign that I love my job (and that I'm a workaholic).