First group ride - a disaster!

[cylegoddess]

Woke at 8 am, to go on frst group ride. I had worked 8 hours yesterday, then spent from 5 to 12 pm baking and cleaning for a party.
When I woke up, it was gale force winds and raining. So I say to myself, would Lance ride in this?yes! So I get up and go.
Swooped by magpie on way to pick up ( they are size of large parrots, and they are SCARY, dvng at your head and ears and sometimes draw blood.)
Then met up with several other equally insane middle aged genial people,to ride in what seemed to be a gathering thunderstorm. Black clouds, gales, sleet. Thats was just in the parking lot!
It was far too cold and windy to do the normal ride( 25 km) so we went for the long way thru suburbs to coffee shop , because all of us were so cold and damp, just starting that we wanted the full brekkie!
So it rained, then sleeted, then hailed , then sun then rain, then snow( I swear!), then sun.The wind blew so hard that riding up the road( chip and seal and next to traffic) we were riding slower than someone could walk.

then I got my second flat in one and half years.( yes, just two!)
In fact, the tire seemed to be glued on.The wind was blowing so bad, it was hard to hold the bike up. My gentleman cyclist helper, stayed behind to help out( too old for me but sweet) thank god,as it was so windy it was hard to hold bike still to get wheel off, as it was so cold it was hard to get the tire off.
We ended up pinching the tube between the rim( after 2 co2s and one broken co2 pump and one pump with missing piece) which meant it couldnt be inflated again( no pump, co2 or tubes left).
But bike shop was 2 blocks away.good thing I had mtn bike shoes on!

Then I had to go home and spend 3 hours cleaning house for party.

[redrhodie]

Good for you! That doesn't sound like a disaster--it sounds fun! (but I'm a little crazy, and kinda like getting flats)

[indigoiis]

But... did you end up getting the full brekkie????

[Geonz]

That's what I want to know!!

What a ride!

[Andrea]

Learn to love rides like that. Not while you're doing them, but when it's just a little rainy out and not too cold, and you saddle up & ride without a second thought because it's not nearly as bad as your stormy/flat tire experience.

Congratulations... you just got tougher

[salsabike]

You had an adventure!

[channlluv]

Learn to love rides like that. Not while you're doing them, but when it's just a little rainy out and not too cold, and you saddle up & ride without a second thought because it's not nearly as bad as your stormy/flat tire experience.

Congratulations... you just got tougher

I love how you always find the bright side.

cylegoddess, Ilove how dedicated you and your friends are. I hope the party was fun, too!

Roxy

[cylegoddess]

I just love you ladies!!

I too, would like to be like you Redrhodie - tires as being a challenge! I will keep that in mind.
No , no brekkie. I had hot milk and vanilla syrup( yum!! cant have coffee).By the time I got to coffee shop, everyone was done and someone needed a guide back home.It was about to pour or sleet or snow or something, so I made tracks. I did regret it later.
Yes, I am a good little treadhead, aint I? I LOVE BAD WEATHER Now I know why Armstrong relishes it. Its a gas

I do admit, if I was alone I doubt I had been so cheery about tire It takes me about a hour to fix one, assuming I can even get the thing back on and recall how to redo the jockey wheels and such.

[cylegoddess]

The party was funny( it was a tea party).I made too much food( no one was a cyclist that rode there, so lots left!!) and we tried on wigs( even the boys, well esp. the boys!) and it was all cleaned up before it was even over.( Im bad).

[redrhodie]

I just love you ladies!!

I too, would like to be like you Redrhodie - tires as being a challenge! I will keep that in mind.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have to admit (blushing) the day after I wrote that, I got a flat and took a ride rather than change it out.

Sometimes, flats are not fun!