2,948

It is quite a bit less than 6,000 but it is the best I can do.

Yesterday's wind continued overnight and on into today. Just after dark we had a large branch blow down off our cottonwood tree. According to descriptions given by TOPWLH it was about 5 inches in diameter at the large end where it disconnected from the tree. It hit with a very audible thud on the roof over our kitchen. The rain was only beginning and not yet very intense so we went out to look. The branch seemed to be hanging on the edge of the roof. I figured that uncertainty about its final resting place was inferior to having it down on the ground so I got a hold on one of the larger of the small branches and pulled it down off the roof onto our deck. TOPWLH then began asserting that it covered the entire deck.

Never ruin a good story just for the sake of the truth. Ask her.

The old car show that was in town a few weeks ago never presented an appropriate photo opportunity. The old cars were out and about and never seemed concentrated enough for a good picture. This weekend another motorized group has taken up positions at the state fair grounds. It is some sort of motor home association. With the price of gas being what it is most of the extremely large vehicles remained parked most of the time. I was able to enter their lair and capture this image down one of the many rows of parked vehicles.The wind was blowing extremely hard, 20 mph and up from the southwest so I headed off in that direction. This led me towards the University. The last time there, last week, I explored some new areas. I headed back towards those places hoping by a repeat visit to fix the various locations firmly in my mind. I got across the Washington Avenue bridge and over to the end of the bike lane. I wanted to orient myself to where that intersection was in relationship to the extremely well known landmarks in the area so I proceeded up 21st. In a couple of blocks the street crosses Riverside and I found myself on the Augsburg campus. It occurred to me that my trip to Freewheel had involved riding on the extremely car-centric Cedar Avenue so I set about trying to find the back way to that shop. I turned towards the right and left the campus and plunged into hard core West Bank.

I quickly located Freewheel but I had gone a block too far. I pulled into a parking lot hoping for an alley to lead me over to the now visible Freewheel parking lot without having to venture out onto Cedar. Bingo, flat tire.

Three flats in four rides is a tad discouraging. But there I was within yards of a bike shop. I always carry a little cash with me, I knew I had enough to pay for a new tube and to pay someone else to make the repair. I walked my bike over to Freewheel and went inside.

The bike mechanic put the LOOK up on the repair stand and removed the flat tire. I explained what I wanted, we quickly settled on a price that was agreeable and then I monkey wrenched the deal. I prefer smooth valves on my tubes. No, I don't prefer smooth valves, I require smooth valves. The threaded valves are a hassle with the brand of pump I have and furthermore the threads rip up the pump head gasket. I wanted a smooth valve. The Freewheel guy and I searched their inventory and they didn't have what I wanted. I asked then what the price of repair would be using my tube, knowing that I had one in my seat bag. He interpreted the question as inquiring what they would charge if I fixed the existing tube, inquiring back if I had a patch kit. Obviously I do.

Thus informed I inquired the cost of air if I went outside and did the repair myself and brought the repaired tire back inside. The correct answer is, "No charge for that", and that is what he said, and then compounded the correct answer with, "In fact, why go outside, you can use that bench over there." So I did.

I have been to Freewheel quite a few times and I like the place, it has a very, very bikey feel. But I have never been more than a customer in that place. I had never been inside with my bike, I had never been there in any other mode than having arrived by car.

As regular readers know, I have one of the nicest bikes in the history of bikes. When I brought that bike inside, and then further demonstrated that I was no novice by sitting down at their work bench and launching into a patch of a tube, well, the whole Freewheel experience took new directions.

The male manager, a person I had never previously identified, came over and wanted to chat. His opening line was, "Is that your LOOK?" Indeed it is.

My other appearances at Freewheel had involved clothing purchases, this guy wears a bicycling cap and specializes in the repair end of the shop. When I was interested in clothes he wasn't interested in me. But with a bike like that? Well, hello, how can we help you? First we had a discussion of tires. I explained that I was trying to stretch a set of tires to 3,000 miles and was in the midst of failing in that effort. He recommended the tires he uses, Vittoria, and a new product which he intends to try, Continental 4000S. We had a good bicycle chat and he passed along some information about tires which I did not previously have.

I finished up the tube repair, got the tire remounted and asked the bike mechanic to remount the wheel. Having done the repair in front of him I had gained a little mechanic cred. He not only remounted the wheel, he performed a mini-adjustment of the rear derailer just so I would appreciate, which I do, that he very clearly knows what he is doing.

So I rode home and immediately gave up the quest for 3,000 miles. Enough is enough. I had the new set of tires and I have already mounted them. It isn't 6,000, but 2,948 appears to be the best I can do.