Developing a healthy lifestyle through cycling

Bike Ride 28 – Friends, Flats, and Follies

Posted by Bryan on Aug 30th, 2008 in My Rides | Comments

Today was the first Saturday ride of my new bicycling fitness program so I was due to ride 30 miles. I set the alarm for 8, woke up at about 7:30, and headed out.

About 2 miles into my ride I saw a guy walking his bike down the sidewalk towards me. I asked if he needed help and he said yes. I pulled off the road to offer what assistance I could. Turns out his name is Kevin and started cycling about three weeks ago. Both he and his wife ride and they’ve already been on a group ride here in town and ridden the Jacksonville-Baldwin trail. I rode that trail back on Ride 8. He’s riding for the same reasons I am. His problem was a flat. I had a spare tube that I put in for him and put a little CO2 in it to make sure everything was ok. That’s when we noticed that CO2 was escaping from my inflator. My inflator uses non-threaded CO2 cartridges so it’s held in place with a plastic cover that, when you screw it on, pushes the cartridge into the valve and pierces the cartridge top. CO2 was leaking around the seam of the plastic piece holding the cartridge. I went to tighten it and the plastic broke allowing the CO2 to rapidly escape. It sure gave Kevin and I a start. How embarrassing. I tried to make it work somehow but couldn’t. It was broken beyond repair. I had to leave Kevin in the same condition I had met him in, with a flat, and go on about my ride. That just stinks. I did get his phone number and gave him the website address so we could perhaps get together for some rides in the future. Kevin, if you read this, I’m sorry it didn’t work out this morning.

(On a side note, I’m looking out the window of my study and am glad I rode early because it’s pouring right now.)

Well, I hopped back on my bike and continued riding. I knew about where I wanted to ride. I was planning on riding my 13-mile morning ride and inserting a 20-mile leg in the middle. Here’s what it looks like:

This route is pretty good and only has a couple spots where traffic can get bad and that’s along the St Johns Towncenter. Early in the morning, though, it wasn’t too bad. The loop around the University of North Florida is nice and there is virtually no traffic on AC Skinner Parkway. It made for a good ride.

Now that I’ve posted my route, let me explain what happened when I got home. I ride up to the driveway and my wife is in her car with the kids ready to back out. They see me and get out. I can tell she’s upset. I ask what’s wrong and she asks if I realize that I’ve been gone for over 3 hours (2:20 riding time, the time helping Kevin, and a short rest break). I told her I had a 30-mile ride scheduled this morning but that didn’t help. It turns out that after 1.5 hours or so she tried calling me (my phone was in the seat bag and I didn’t hear it), had been out twice along my weekday route looking for me, and was getting ready to head out again. She was worried sick that I was laying in a ditch somewhere hurt. I understand her feelings and apologized. Truth is, about half-way through my ride a I realized that I hadn’t left her a map of my route and/or hadn’t told her how far/long I was riding. Critical mistakes. With tools like Map My Ride, there’s no excuse for me to not print out my route and leave it for her in the event she needs to find me. I should also check my phone more often. So, let this be a lesson for those of you out there with significant others who are waiting for you at home.

Besides Kevin, I saw five or six other “serious” cyclists and four or five folks just out for a cruise on their comfort bikes. I also saw several runners out for their Saturday morning exercise.

All told, I managed to ride 31.88 miles with a riding time of 2 hours and 19 minutes. After having ridden Wednesday and Thursday, I had to take Friday off to let my rear recover a little due to lack of time in the saddle. That day off, coupled with a better set of bibs, worked wonders for my sit bones and I didn’t have any trouble the entire ride. The highlight of the day though was meeting Kevin and at least trying to help him out.

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  • Bryan
    @jaxgtr: Thanks Brian. I'm also leaning towards the ankle version.
  • jaxgtr
    I have both, but prefer the ankle version of the RoadID.
  • Bryan
    @Arlyn: You're spot on about the RoadID. I've added their banner to the site, on the front page, and plan on getting one soon. Do you use the ankle or wrist version?
  • Nice. Good reminder to let people know where you go, I've returned late after extending a ride to find an irate family too.

    And about laying in a ditch somewhere, get a RoadID. Money well spent.
  • Bryan
    @jaxgtr: I'll have to look for that extra mileage when I ride it again next weekend.
  • jaxgtr
    Yea it was a fairly good ride, except for the rain. Luckily I knew I was was getting a really nice dinner once I got there. I wish I would have been able to ride back, but I was really whipped and it was late by the time we left. Which is why I had the wife take my car.

    The light I am talking about is the main light when you come out of the Town Center on the main drag into the UNF campus. You took a right at the light and did a loop around the campus by the pool, parking garage and soccer field\pool area. When you come back up to the light after you make the loop, you went straight and back into the town center. In stead of going straight, turn right at the light and that road will take you to the north side of the soccer field\track, pool area, a new parking lot and then ultimately Beach Blvd.
  • Bryan
    @jaxgtr: I'll have to checkout your pump the next time we ride. Not sure I know what light your talking about on the campus. I only remember one. Dude, that's a heck of a ride. Good job on getting it in. Getting slammed by the rain sucks though.

    @Duchess: Thanks for stopping by. Sorry the navigation was giving you trouble.
  • Oh, I have found how to work it now. Sorry. I hate all the clicking I have to do to follow your story, but am enjoying reading.
  • Hi, Bryan, just found your site and wanted to read your archives, but they don't seem to be working. I can only get the intro to each post. The [...] isn't showing as a link to get the rest.

    Good luck on your goals!
  • jaxgtr
    The frame pump to get is a Topeak Road Morph. Works great. I carry one on both my bikes as well as the CO2. The pump is smaller than most, but does have a small handle and a foot rest, so it makes it easier to handle. Works on both Presta and Schraeder valves as well. I like the ease of the CO2, but in the event I have catastrophic issues and multiple flats, I don't every have to worry about running out of CO2. Call me paranoid.

    That is a nice route and when you get to the light at the corner when you do the loop around the campus, take a right at the light and the road will take you on he north side of the campus and back to the Beach Blvd, adding another 4 or 5 miles to the ride. It yet to show up on a map though, but it is there.

    I do the same thing sometimes with the maps so the wife will know where I am, but I have also been out far longer than anticipated and I hear my phone ringing.

    Boy did it rain yesterday. My wife told me late Friday that we were going to my in-laws on Saturday. I told her I was planning a long ride and she look upset, so I combined the two. I told her to take my car and I would just ride to their house in Lake City. They are 65 miles from my house so I left and about mid ride, I got slammed. I eventually pulled under an over passed and waited for about 25 mins for the really heavy junk. I finally pulled in after 4 hrs 10 mins. My mom in law was worried and my wife told her not to sweat it that I would call if I needed help. I thought that was funny. I must say though, US90 is a nice smooth ride.
  • Bryan
    @Noah: Agreed.
  • I've never been a fan of frame pumps unless you're running relatively low pressure tires. Either they take a million strokes to inflate, or you'll damage the tube near the valve stem. The new hand pumps that can switch from high capacity to high pressure look a little more promising, but I prefer a pump with a hose, or CO2. Carry a few spare cartridges and all's well.

    As far as running out of air, I've only run out of CO2 once on my commute. If I go through 4 cartridges in under 10 miles, it's an Omen. Call someone to pick you up. Cell phone beats the hassle of a hand pump, every time.
  • Bryan
    @Noah: Not sure what brand. I've had it a long time. Mine accepts threaded cartridges as well so that's probably what I'll use from now on.

    @Black Pearl: Thanks for stopping by. I've had bad experiences with frame pumps and don't care for them too much. I'd have to see a demo of a good one before I would re-consider.

    @Weiland: You know, I usually do but for some reason today I didn't keep her informed. Bad move on my part. At least she cared enough to come look for me.
  • If my route is going to be 50+ miles or in a location where I've never ridden before I'll leave a map for my wife. I'll also send email updates along the ride as well.
  • Black Pearl
    The solution to that problem is named frame PUMP, I never run out of air no matter how many flats I have.
  • What brand of inflater was it? My Ultraflate worked many wonders, dozens of times for both myself and for fellow stranded cyclists on the road. It got stolen with my hybrid bike a few weeks ago but it worked well enough that I bought the next generation one (The Ultraflate 2)

    Occasionally, the ultraflate would leak a little bit after I screwed the plastic housing back together. This didn't usually cause any problems, though. first, I'd only tighten it to activate the CO2 when I was ready to use it, and secondly, I always carry several spare cartridges. I buy 25-packs of co2 from sporting goods stores for less than $15... compared to paying $3.50 per cartridge at the bike shop. The Crossman cartridges have no oils or additives and are functionally identical to the tire inflaters.
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