44th ride - 6/21/15

Today's ride was, again, mildly adventurous. I set off just before 6:15, intending to ride to Baker Rd. in Dexter, which I can reach all off-road, and the round trip would have been 19.2 miles, my longest ride to date. All was going beautifully until about 43 minutes in, as I was trucking down the sidewalk on the south side of Jackson Rd., a little way west of Wagner Rd., when suddenly a loud BANG - HSSSSSSS told me that my left front tire had suffered a blowout. I swore silently (in my mind, where the only One who matters anyway could hear it).

Last time I was at Jack's Bicycle in Dearborn (this past Tuesday), I got a spare tube so I wouldn't have to return to Dearborn next time, but could just have it done here in town. (I haven't learned yet how to change it myself, nor have I the equipment, so that wasn't an option.) So I'll get it repaired this afternoon.

The worst part, by far, was having to call Michelle at 7:00 a.m. on a Sunday. (Thank goodness I had thought to bring my phone with me! I almost left without it, but then realized its absence from my pocket at the last minute, and ducked back in the house for it.) We later agreed on a system in order to avoid this morning's problems. I first texted her, and after waiting a few minutes with no response, I called her. After she asked if I was OK, and if I needed to be picked up, she said, "Where are you?" I said, "Text." She asked, "Where? Church?" I repeated, "Text." A third time: "WHERE?" I said, "TEXT!" Then she said, "I can't understand. Why don't you text me?" I found mild amusement in this ending to the conversation, but felt bad for having had to wake her.

So instead of the long ride I had intended, I did 5.9 miles in 43 minutes. I hope I can tack on a little more late this afternoon or this evening.

SUNDAY EVENING

This afternoon, I took my trike to Wheels in Motion here in town, along with the spare tube I had bought from Jack's in Dearborn so that I wouldn't have to return there next time I had a problem. But after looking it over, they said it wouldn't do any good to put the tube in because the tire was "shredded." They said they could order new tires for it, as they are a specialized and somewhat uncommon size, but they wouldn't be in until Wednesday. I am not going to wait that long, having become once more addicted to riding, so I'll be heading back to Dearborn in the morning.

I explained, though, that I bought the trike on May 2 and since then have ridden 500+ miles on it, and I wondered if I should consider that normal wear, or indicative of some sort of problem. They said, "Well, congratulations on ringing up the miles at that rate, but really they should not be this bad yet. If you're really set on going back to the dealer in the morning, I'd suggest replacing both front tires, as the other one is pretty nearly gone, too." And they said the basic reason was that they're fairly cheap tires; "If I were you, I'd try to get better quality ones next time."

So ... live and learn.