My Poor Honey

[Veronica]

I just got off the phone with Thom. He went for a bike ride today on one of the multi-use paths is Melbourne. They ride on the left side of the road there. He's keeping to the left and came up to a blind corner, slowed down to under ten miles an hour and an eight year old kid comes around the corner on the wrong side and they have a head on collision. Thom had no where to go, since there was a wall on the left.

Fortunately, neither one of them was hurt. Thom thought his bike was fine. But he discovered the top tube and the down tube have been "wrinkled." That's how he described it. He thinks it's shortened the bike by about an inch and a half.

He rode it back to his apartment. But he's not sure how much more riding he'll be able to do it on it. He thinks it will be fine on the bike paths, but no hills.

It's steel so we'll be able to get it repaired. He'll e mail Riv on Monday and find out what the deal is with that. We may just order him a new bike. He'd like one the same color as Jo's Saluki.

Just frustrating...

V.

[SadieKate]

What #3? First they arrest terrorists the day he flies down there, then this. What's next?

Sounds like he is OK. Glad to hear that. It does sound like he had a plan . . . Jo's Saluki certainly has high drool factor.

[crazycanuck]

Hey veronica,

Sorry to hear about thom's bike....Just out of curiosity..how does he like Melbourne??? Summer's almost here for most of aus..!!!!

c

[RoadRaven]

Sounds like thom needs a new tube/frame...

I wouldn't trust anything with with wrinkles on my bike (cept myself!)

[Veronica]

I should have been more clear. He wants another Rambouillet painted like Jo's Saluki. He really likes that red.

Yesterday was his first real day to explore - being Saturday for them. He said the architecture is very weird but cool - sort of modern and with bits just added on. They have a naval museum which he's going to check out. His plan is to eat dinner at a different place everday. He said the weather so far is like March in Maine - drizzly and mostly overcast.

He's bummed because he has to do his own laundry. That's one of my chores. There is a washer and dryer in his apartment.

V.

[crazycanuck]

Hey veronica,

Just an aside, let thom know that the old melbourne gaol is worth visiting, just for the Ned Kelly history. (ned kelly was a criminal in the late 1800's) and a visit to the Ballarat area.

c

[Veronica]

Thanks - I'll let him know.

v.

[jobob]

Poor bunkie ! Well, I'm glad that he wasn't hurt, nor the kid (thinking of the paperwork )

I should have been more clear. He wants another Rambouillet painted like Jo's Saluki. He really likes that red.

Probably an odd time to let you know, but it's now "Lee's Saluki".

Waldo and I never really quite hit it off, and I was telling Lee about how guilty I felt having this beautiful bike that we spent a freakin' fortune on that I simply didn't love riding. And Lee told me, well, he wished his Altantis was a bit lighter and heck, could he take the Saluki and tinker with it and see how he liked it, to which I answered, "but of course !!" (We ride roughly the same size bikes, Lee takes maybe a size smaller than me, and I ordered Waldo on the small end of my spectrum so it's the right size for him too).

So Lee proceeded to swap his saddle and handlebars (he likes wider Noodle Bars than I do) from the Atlantis to the Saluki, and after about 30 minutes of tinkering he has it pretty well dialed-in, and he's a happy camper. Lee finds the Saluki lighter and peppier than the Atlantis so he is very pleased.

And I took Pokey (my Romulus) down from the wall rack, and he's back in service as my fendered (semi)fat tire winter and gunky road bike - and I'm really happy to back riding him, I rode him for the first time in ages last Sunday and it was like a reunion with an old friend (awwww).

So, Lee's happy, I'm happy, and all's well that ends well !

Ooops, sorry for the thread hijack, V. !

- Jo.

[SnowMouse]

G'day Veronica,

Was your husband riding the trail along the beach foreshore on Beaconsfield Parade or the Yarra Trails? If it was the foreshore I'm not surprised, when I ride it I use my brakes for wandering children, off ablanced roller bladers, runnaway dogs, all sorts of things, it's a little crazy like that. It sound like it may have been one or the other. Real bummer about the incident and the bike. If it is at all fixable, get him to go to Bike Now in South Melbourne, their mechanics are good. How long is he in Melbourne for? I can hook him up with some roadies or even show him some off road stuff.

As for the terrorists, Australia has just passed some very contraversial laws allowing the police more powers of arrest on suspicion of terrorism basically. Lots of people think they will be arrested accidentally, but it's not the case. A group of men who the authorities had been watching for 16 months got hauled up to please explain a few things, and basically I think Melbourne is very safe right now.

[Veronica]

No problem with the thread hijack Jo. I'm glad things worked out for all bkes and people.

Snowmouse I'll pass on the bike shop info. He's there the rest of the month, so if his bike is toast, he'll be looking to rent probably.

V.

[Trek420]

V,

Any thought that Lee *threw* himself at the kid in order to get the new bike?

I'm glad everyone's ok

and...yet another reason to love steel.

[slinkedog]

V... so sorry to hear about this! I hope everything turns out okay. This just gives me one more reason to hate bike paths. That one in Monterey scared the hooey out of me.

[CorsairMac]

Fortunately, neither one of them was hurt. Thom thought his bike was fine. But he discovered the top tube and the down tube have been "wrinkled." That's how he described it. He thinks it's shortened the bike by about an inch and a half.

first and foremost I'm very happy to hear everybody is ok. I can just imagine the panic on his face after working to make sure He was on the right - er wrong? - side of the road!

but........since the bike was shortened, will he be looking for someone "short" to maybe sell it too?? *wink wink nod nod*

[SadieKate]

Did Thom email Rivendell any pictures? Any kind of prognosis? Any orders placed?

[Veronica]

Did Thom email Rivendell any pictures? Any kind of prognosis? Any orders placed?

He took it to a shop yesterday. The builder there said he wouldn't ride it. So Thom has packed it back up. I was joking with him that he's going to come home fat and slow and we're going to have to ride the tandem and I'll end up doing more than my fair share.

He's not sure what he wants to do about the bike. We'll for sure get it repaired. We can put slicks on his mountain bike so he can still commute. Whether or not we buy another bike will depend on long the repair wait is.

V.