Goodbye week, hello dirt!

July 28, 2012

Sometimes bike parts break. I broke a tube on my bike pump while switching from my namby-pamby slicks to my knobby tyres.

This did not prevent me from making it out for a bicycle ride to Swanson Park today. I stopped by the Hy-Vee gas station for some free air and headed out. It was pretty great to be back on the dirt. I decided to go to Swanson instead of Tranquility Park due to the fact that my compadre Rich

had been transcripted into familial duty for the weekend. I left my home early. Little did I know I was missing one item that would have been nice to have along. If you would like to guess which one, here're some choices:

1. food
2. drink
3. credit card
4. chain tool
5. tyre lever
6. pump
7. a sunny disposition

If you guessed 4, then you are correct, as you will see if you actually read this entire post.  After a pleasant ride out to the park I was giddy with excitement as I hit the shady, well-groomed trails.

The dirt was pretty dry in the sunny spots, but not really excessively dusty or slippery. I got out there around 9:30 and got a sweet lap in. I encountered only one other bicycler and a few deer.

Gaze deeply into my eyes...bitch!

Some places are removing signs

Whereas Swanson has developed a copious amount of signage over the years.

I think "difficult" means, "occasional overgrowth."

I must say that T.H.O.R. does a great job with their trail maintenance out there. Thanks guys!  As I hadn't been out there for a year or so, I noticed a few new log rides with a dried mud, concrete-like mortar keeping things smooth and together.

I was coming up out of the gulley area

(my favorite section of the trail) when a snap and subsequent fall signaled a mechanical issue. I though maybe my chain had slipped off the chain ring. Unfortunately, this was not the case. I had broken my Sram PC 990 chain!

Let me digress for a moment to explain to you something related to this particular chain. I am generally fairly easily impressed. Therefore I was very impressed with the factory lube on this chain. I had not lubed this chain since I installed in shortly before my bicycle ride across Nebraska. So, this chain went through about 500 miles before it probably needed a lube. Unfortunately, the chain went about 600 miles with no lube, and then I finally took it off road. Doh! Yep. My bad. Your supportive friend (a rare species) might call you a brute when you bust your chain. Your friend is lying. You are a chain abuser. Like me. You neglected an essential part of your bicycle. Now what? Do you have a chain tool? My answer to that question would be a sheepish "no." Neither did the two guys that rode by, although they both started off sounding optimistic about the possibility.

I managed to get my chain back together, albeit in a weak and unsustainable manner.

I made it to around 72nd and Harrison before it fell apart again. After that it continued to split from time to time. I made it to the former location of High Gear (85th and Brentwood area). A phone call revealed that the shop had moved to 73rd and Giles and was now part of the formidible Trek Bicycle Store empire.

Well, that's not far! I got there and the manager leant me a sweet ass shop chain tool. A little awkward wrenching and I was back on the road! Thanks guys and Yee-haw!

In other news, I hear that the Olympics are occurring. A volleyball player from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is on the Olympic volleyball team, one Jordan Larson. I am not sure, but I think that JoLa is an avid bicyclist.

I am very sure that a Kozakh, one Alexandr Vinokourov is an avid bicyclist, and also a gold medalist after winning the Olympic road race. Rack one up for the 'stans!

So what else is going on this weeekend? I'm not really sure. Let me look into that and get right back to you.  Alright, I'm back.  The Playing with Fire concert series down at the Lewis and Clark Landing is beginning today. It's Benson's 125th birthday, with many festivities to mark the occasion. And the Omaha Comedy Week continues, today at TBA.

Well let's get out there!  With a chain tool!