I resolved to never blog about the weather unless it was part of a bigger story. Failed on so many fronts, but some kinds of weather are spectacularly blogable - like dragon smoke and blazing electrical storms.
Nice days often see me left to guard the apartment while F goes off cycling. She tried that today but something (not sayin' what) had sabotaged her bike; or more to the point sabotaged her supply of spare inner tubes. After a long mechaniking session and some assistance yesterday, the bike was pronounced better than a new one, and this morning (having only sat in the stairwell overnight) it had a flat tyre.
Hmmmm
Today (Sunday) I supervised a new inner tube going in. The pumping up process seemed a bit slow but I put that down to F's dicky thumb. Suddenly there was a loud bang and F leapt backwards.
Wheel off again...inner tube 2 had performed a rupturous explosion near the valve. That was a surprise.
To cut a very long story short, F 'blew out' three new inner tubes (well, new last year, but still in boxes), all in the same place, and having cycled only 4 km when the 4th and last available repaired one went (same place - and yes she had checked the tyre and turned it round each time it came off), she walked home carrying the bike. Final tally, 4 inner tubes in the bin, one repaired and put back, and one extra wheel-off procedure because we lost something small ...."it can't be inside the tyre can it?" (it wasn't but she hasn't found it yet) .... came to 6 wheel changes in all.
I think she might be a bit fed up with the bike. I also think she is going to buy her new inner tubes from a different bike shop.
Dum dum de dee ... there are lots of yachts out sailing today, so we have something nice to look at.
Hari OM
ReplyDeleteWell, praise be for Yacht Tee Vee... teehee... Hugs and whiskeries, YAM-aunty xx
(who actually has deep sympawthee for F and her innertubular travails...)
I think it’s the universe saying don’t go out, stay home and do some crafting
ReplyDeleteOnce again extreme envy over your view.
That sounds like a good reason to just sit down, nurse a drink (hard or otherwise) and have a good cry!
ReplyDeleteOuch! For the sake of F's thumbs, Gail hopes that the fit of the tyres to the rims is less tight than on her own favourite bicycle!
ReplyDeleteShe tells me it probably isn't. There was a lot of what you humans call swearing going on. xxx Mr T
DeleteMy free bike has ended up costing me the price of new tyres and brakes plus a basket for the front.
ReplyDeleteAnd I still haven't ridden it yet.
Oh - JayCee - find a nice flat, recently tarmacked piece of road and just DO IT. Once you are underway the freedom to move a bit faster than walking pace, and see (and breathe) stuff at slower than car or bus pace might be habit forming - or even infectious.
DeleteHow frustrating for F but I give 100% for her perseverance - the whole bike would have been thrown across the road by now if it had been me! :)
ReplyDeleteI think F might have seat a record for tire changes in one day... she must have the patience of Job because I would have given up half way through. WAIT I have no idea how to change a tire of anykind and also can't ride a bike without falling over. I am safe.. You look fantaboulous in your photo today, and like you are possibly giving an eye roll
ReplyDeleteoh no that must've been frustrating for F - I hope she got the innertube sorted, are they expensive to buy there?
ReplyDelete