the Way of the Turtle

WOODCHUCKLES REDUX & A TROUBLESOME BIKE
11 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Yesterday I left the bike I usually ride out in Rochester, both because it was raining steadily and I'm hoping my knee will have recovered enough for me to do the Tri the Oatka paddle triathlon in a week and a half - so during that time I need to put in a few miles on the bike I typically ride during races. I knew I needed to replace the tires first, so this morning I tackled that job. What I had forgotten was that I also needed to replace a broken spoke on the front wheel - and unfortunately I didn't notice that until after I had the tire replaced. Sigh...

Heading out on the bike path I felt a steady bump from the back wheel that probably meant the wire bead wasn't seated properly on the rim in one spot... I've had that issue once or twice before with that wheel, most memorably during the Mohawk Towpath Duathlon back in 2007. I figured it would be OK for a few miles so I decided to endure it until I got back to the car (how's that for foreshadowing?)

Stopped at Lock 7 to look for the six woodchuckles I saw a while ago... no sign of them near the burrows. But, as I was getting ready to leave, I spotted them - all the way across the lawn, in a brushy area near the road. Either woodchucks are incredible burrowers, the little squirts have gotten very brave, or Ma and Pa woodchuck have booted them out, because they were a good 100 yds from the burrows next to the Lock. Then again, if it came down to a 100 m dash between me and the woodchuckles, I'd put my money on them. Spent a few minutes taking photos of them, before my being there scared them into the brush, then headed on down the bike path.

Except now the "bump, bump, bump" was much worse, and when I stopped I discovered that the tube had popped the tire off the rim and was getting steadily worse. So I deflated the tube, did my best to re-seat the tire, and then pumped it back up as best I could with my hand pump. That took enough wind out of my sails that I considered stopping when I got back to the car. I haven't been on the Dawes since the end of April, and the frame geometry and gearing is just different enough that it can be take some getting used to - in other words my legs were grumbling.

On the way back I stopped at the Niska Isle bridge to take some pictures and was treated to another goose parade (flotilla?) as several families made their way single file to the far shore. An incredible number are hanging out in that area - looked like 8 adults and 30+ youngsters of various ages.

I managed to convince myself that it was worth riding down to the old railroad bridge ove Shaker's Creek, and I'm glad I did - I'd have felt pretty wimpy later on if I'd stopped after 6-7 miles. And tomorrow I get to work on the back tire again... it looks like the rubber over the bead may have torn away, so I may need to throw that one out and put a different one on...

JMH