The forecast called for rain so we hit the road early to try to avoid the worst of it. It was windy (headwinds, darn it), but we got 23.5 miles in before the rain started. And not just rain! Hail! Yuck. It got cold (40F) and the wind picked up just as the road headed up. It was a long, slow slog, but, finally, we made it to Dave’s rest stop where a cup of hot chocolate was waiting for my human. Me? I got left in the rain <grrr />.
The human decided to keep on riding (weird animal that human) and soon we’d crested the hill and had a nice gentle downhill. The wind was just right and was blowing across the drain holes in my tubes and I was singing….singing in the rain…happy again….singing in the rain…drat….flat. Sigh…that’s what happens when you on the freeway in the rain — you pick up shrapnel and hurt the tires. No worries. The human can fix a flat in the PAC Tour requisite 10 minutes and we’ll be back to singing in now time.
But, no joy. The bike shop tightened down the valve stabilizer too tight and the human couldn’t get it off. Now, those of you who know my human, might think that that was when I learned a new word, but nope, the human stayed calm and waited for the next group of riders. Maybe one of them would have stronger hands or a small pliers.
Finally, along came the Swiss contingent. One of them took my wheel and tried to undo the ring and said something; handed it to the other. They then worked on that wheel for several minutes and kept saying “Scheiß”. I figured it must mean, “oh, poor pretty bike is broken”, but when I told that to the other bikes on the rack they just giggle, so I’m not so sure any more. But, they were such nice guys and they managed to get that stupid ring off and me back on the road….
I’m singing in the rain
Just singing in the rain
What a glorious feeling
I’m happy again
Tomorrow Wickenberg
Travels With Edwina 