Monday I rode to work of course, then as I'm leaving for home (with 15 minutes before the kids bus gets to the house) I realize I have a flat tire...on the back.
A couple problems here....1. I have NEVER had to change a bike tire before
2. I only have 15 minutes to get home.
3. I have no tools other than my multitool on me.
4. I have no air pump or CO2 cartridge.
So....I call our maintenance guy who gives me a ride home. I get there just as the bus pulls up.
I figure I'll wait for Bob to get home from work but as I'm sitting on the porch looking at my bike I think "How hard can it possibly be...I'm a smart girl...might as well change one now and have a hand up cuz it's bound to happen on the road."
I tear into it. First getting the back tire's quick release to release...quick my rear end. Then onto getting it off without ripping my chain off and twisting it (you know this would be my luck). Ok, good, now the rim is lying on my porch, I try getting the tire off, yeah I manage it...I feel proud of myself. I pump up the tube to figure out where the hole is. Tiny little hole...hmph! Look at the tire, a piece of glass is still stuck in it..I promise the piece of glass is almost unseeable except that my glasses are stronger than a normal magnifying glass!
So I clear it out of the tire and decide I might as well scrub my rim good (one clean rim on my bike currently). I put the new tube inside the tire, figuring I'll tackle trying to patch the old tube later....I get it all back on...Now I'm biting my nails trying to think how I got the rim off and around the derailer and all that stuff....well I pop it back in and tada...everything goes back into place nice and smooth....I tighten the quick release again.
I look at my bike in amazement...HOLY CRAP I just changed my tire without assistance and with out frustration...I do a little celebration dance on my porch, to the amusement of my 3 boys...who say I should be called "DORKY CROOM".
Tuesday I didn't go to work cuz Gaven was vomitting.
Today I rode into work on the bike I fixed with my own blood and tears (yeah okay scratch that,,) I mean with ease...proud of myself the whole way that I did it all by myself and it still was shifting and riding just as smooth as before! YEAH ME!
And yes, I'm aware...I'm a dork!
A blog about my exploits on my bike, my adventures with my camera, my life of rock and roll concerts, my 4 kids, and just about any other topic I think worth talking about.
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