I worked on my bike!

[Jiffer]

Okay, I'm just stoked that I can actually put air in my own tires! I felt like such a moron before. No matter what I did, all I did was leak more air. DH finally gave me a "proper lesson" and I finally did it ALL BY MYSELF!

On my very first solo ride on my new single, I passed a woman who was pulling a cycling trailer. She caught up to me and was excited to see another female cyclist. She was going to pick up her kids from school. I looked in the trailer and realized it was empty. I told her, "What a great way to pick up your kids from school!" Maybe you'll be able to do that!

[Kano]

Okay, I'm just stoked that I can actually put air in my own tires! I felt like such a moron before. No matter what I did, all I did was leak more air. DH finally gave me a "proper lesson" and I finally did it ALL BY MYSELF!

Isn't that a cool feeling? I was pretty good with schraeder valves -- after some nasty trial and error, mostly learning to compensate for having slime in the tire (be sure to fill with the valve at the top of the wheel!). Then I got the presta valves on my road bike. Who knew you had to unscrew the widget after taking the cover off! I went back to the bike shop, and bike dude showed me how. DH still doesn't know how to put air in my tires -- but I'm pretty sure he likes it that way!

His new skill today? Replacing spokes. He got to buy tools to do that job, and he's pretty pleased with himself! (he also cleaned the gears while it was all apart, and put it all back together with the rest of his dirty drive train, which he did NOT clean!)

Karen in Boise, who practiced tire changing again today!