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FROM THE SUMMIT Greetings all... I have been sitting here for days and watching it dump rain. The wind is blowing and the plants on my porch have tipped over, spilling mud onto my deck. My patio furniture is toppled over and some pieces have disappeared completely. The puddles in my driveway are getting deeper and deeper and there is apparently no end in sight for this rain. Of course, on the days I have to go to work, the weather has been perfect for riding. Having only ridden once in the past three weeks, you may ask, "What have you been doing with all of your spare time Jeff?" Well my friends, I have a good answer for you: Zen and the art of bicycle repair... After fumbling around and tuning up my bike to the best of my ability, I decided to clean it up. Every once in a while a thorough cleaning is warranted, whether it needs it or not. I not only like to give it that "new bike" shine, but inspect the frame and components for structural compromise. After cleaning and checking every nook and cranny, I applied new bar tape and a recently acquired saddle. I removed my chain and got every bit of dirt and grime out of it with the only means at hand- gasoline! Freshly cleaned, I reattached it and lubed it. I patched all of my flat tubes and repacked both my underseat bag and my travel bag. I cleaned my shoes, replaced my worn Look cleats and lubed the springs in my pedals. Now that my bike was taken care of I was eager to put down some miles. I pulled out the stationary trainer, opened the garage door and peddled for a solid three hours. I burned through almost two DVDs of 2003 Tour De France coverage. I had not seen this Tour in some years and had forgotten what a great one it was, Go Lance! Sweaty and hungry, I had now spent most of my day in my man cave. My legs had a bit of lactic acid in them and it never felt so great. Hunger drove me back upstairs for a post ride meal, beer and shower. Now to get going on the baby's room... Keep on riding,
Jeff G |
