When Life Laughs at You...

Well, so much for a bike ride this morning. I'm up early, raring to go for my 10km bike ride, load up the bike with my camera and..... flat tire. Not just a little lost air, totally flat. Sh*t!



I don't have an extra tire, nor any bike tools, so I guess this morning when the stores open, my bike will be going into the bike shop. Now, I could just get another tire and repair it, although I've never done it before, but ever since my chain came off, my bike has some odd noises that need to be addressed.

In essence, it needs a tune-up. It's been a lot of places and through a lot of gravel dust and rain, as well as having fallen over numerous times, that it definitely needs a bit of TLC to get it back to it's former glory. I'm also seriously considering buying another bike, one that is lighter. My current bike is a mountain bike/cruiser hybrid and exceedingly heavy. Add all my camera equipment, and it's no wonder I have to pedal so hard.

I'm disappointed that my bike ride's been delayed, as I'd planned on riding down by the river again, just to check out it's depth. I've been documenting the river levels as I've been riding and posting the photos on the local community page. The local newspaper contacted me to ask if they could use my photos - of course the answer was yes!

Here's the river about a month ago. I was actually standing under the bridge on the river bed and you can see there is very little water in it.



It's getting a bit scary to be riding by the river though, as it only has a couple of feet before it'll breach it's banks. All the sloughs are absolutely full, and dangerously close to spilling over onto roadways. I have to admit to not being too comfortable riding through the foot of the farmer's field, right along the riverfront, with the path being only five feet from the edge of the riverbank.

Here's the river this past Monday.



And here it is on Thursday evening. Yikes!



Once I've dropped my bike off at the bike shop, I guess I'll go to plan B and wander the wetlands, provided that it isn't flooded. As much as I'd like to think I'd get my bike back today, I'm pretty sure it'll have to be in the repair shop a few days or a week before I'll see it again. Ack! Of course, I could just buy a bike tire and attempt to change it myself, and leave the tune-up, except that it really does need one. I wonder if they have 'loaner' bikes like they have loaner cars when your car is in for repair? lol.

I'm thankful that the bike tire is flat while I'm at home and not when I was out riding somewhere. I've had the bike a number of years now and never had to change the tire, so I guess it really doesn't owe me anything. I do need to learn how to change a tire myself and purchase a small bike repair kit to take with me on rides. One other thing I really need to get is a rear view mirror for the bike handles. Although I don't ride on busy roads, it'd still be handy to see what's coming up behind.

This is what I'm missing on my ride this morning. Pout. Pout.





Don't you hate it when you have something all planned out in your head and life steps in and laughs at you?