In Which I Spoke Too Soon

Cedar Lake on Friday morning. Nice time for a bike ride.

I knew I had to be in the office for a while today, but thought it would be a good day to get some miles in.

Well, it was a good day, but things didn’t go exactly as planned. I packed a lunch, and because I was carrying a lunch box, decided to ride my commuting bike Clarence rather than riding the road bike Argent.

I turned on Map My Ride, and headed up the Brentwood Hill. It wasn’t on my way, but I figure doing the hill now and then even when I don’t have to is good exercise.

At the peak on Brentwood Drive (not the peak of the hill, just the highest point on that street), I turned right to head down into a cul de sac neighborhood, just so I could ride up the hill again. And when I was about 2/3 of the way up, just as I finally shifted into granny gear, there was a horrible grinding sounds.

Well, I thought I must had destroyed my derailleur. But, no, the shift was OK. I rode on, but the bike didn’t quite feel right. A mile down the road, I paid more attention to my rear wheel.

Which had a slight wobble. And I knew what that meant—sometimes, when a spoke snaps it doesn’t make much noise—but sometimes, apparently it does it more dramatically, with a loud grinding sound even this old hard-of-hearing biker can sense.

Well, I was still close to home, so I went there and swapped bikes. Riding Argent meant I had to put a backpack on to carry the lunch, but oh well. It was still a gorgeous day for a bike ride.

The only sad part of the story, really, is that a grandson who is coming home won’t be able to ride the toddler seat on my commuting bike. I didn’t get the bike in to the shop today, and am busy all day tomorrow, so it will be Tuesday afternoon before I can take it in. And being busy tomorrow means I'll miss the hoopla for opening the Cedar Valley Nature Trail new paved section to Center Point. Well, I've ridden it already and like it, so congratulations Linn County Trail Association, and I hope many others do show up. I'll be thinking of you.

Oh well. Guess on Monday and Tuesday, I’ll be wearing my backpack and riding the faster bike.