The Bad And The Good

Foiled by a Schrader valve

I was going to ride the 1X1 to James' going away party no matter what, and a spot of rain wasn't about to stop me. I went home from work and scrounged up my Cascadia 29"er fenders and fitted them to the 26" wheeled 1X1. So there was a little extra clearance! I didn't mind.

I took off with the intentions of stopping at the grocery store that is only a few blocks from the shop to pick up some fine brews. I was about a mile and a half into it when I felt the tell tale sign of a flat rear tire. Sure enough! Bah! It was pouring rain, of course, and I found out I didn't have a tube or an air pump. Too excited to leave the house, I guess. That was my own fault, but wouldn't ya know it? It couldn't have happened on a sunny, 60°F day, could it? Nope! It was downright miserable, and mostly my own fault too. I called Mrs Guitar Ted for a bail out. She took me the rest of the way, but not before I stepped in about eight inches of gooey mud on the side of the road trying to get into the truck. Insult to injury!

Once dumped off at work, I dug into the rear wheel and found out it was a slightly cut rear Schrader valve. It would hold air in one position, but shift it a little bit and poof! I installed a new tube and all was well, right? Well.......we'll see about that later.....

Everybody showed up to wish James well on his next chapter in life.

Lots of folks showed up to wish James well and to share a beverage to see him off. It was a really grand time in the sense that it was obvious that James was well liked and we all came together for the cause last night. That was good to see. Beers were hoisted, laughs were had, and merriment went on for several hours. However; it all had to end at some point, and I finally took my leave and grabbed the 1X1 to head for the shed.

It was not raining as hard as when I was attempting to come to the party, but it was pissing down a fine, steady rain still, and everything was either swimming in water or muddy as all get out. I pummeled the 1X1 into a mud pit and then I heard a terrible scraping sound when I hit the next section of pavement. I stopped to find out I had severed the rear fender down near to where it attaches at the chain stay bridge. Gah! Would this bike be cursed or something! I nursed it home all right, but that was certainly a star crossed maiden voyage on that bike.

So, on the one hand we had an excellent gathering at the shop to celebrate a fine fellow and send him off well, and on the other hand my 1X1 build seemed cursed from the get-go. Not at all what I wanted for a first ride experience on that bike, but maybe I have all the bad stuff out of the way now, right?