Four rides

Late Friday afternoon I suggested to Anna, half in jest, that we take Racer out for a spin. She surprised me with her enthusiastic yes. So off we went, through quiet residential streets, and out Old Sauk Road, past the library; I told Anna that if it were a daylight ride, we'd probably stop in for a bit; she said that'd be nice. My plan was to head out to Pleasantview Road, which cuts back to Mineral Point Road, which we take home. A pleasant but non-taxing ten or so miles.But just past the library I heard a sickeningly familiar"whup-whip-whip," and felt the wobble and pull of sudden flat rear tire. Not being familiar with Racer's workings, and it being a rear wheel, I decided not to attempt to patch it in the fading daylight. So we walked back to the library, and called home.

Well.

Mei was exercising in the basement and didn't pick up her phone for about an hour, but at least the library was open, and Anna happily settled in with a pile of mangas. After Mei finally did arrive, I learned to my chagrin that Racer will not fit in our CRV, no matter how many seats you remove -- which had been my rationale (and fallback position) for not yet springing for a roof rack -- that and my ultimately unfounded conviction that these fat road tires would be all but immune to puncture. We talked the library staff into letting us store the bike inside overnight; I had hoped for real inside storage, but they, obviously not bicycle afficiandos and clearly reluctant bailors, offered only an alcove, albeit behind locked glass doors. That being the best available option we went home sans Racer, and I slept the fitful sleep of one whose new toy is exposed to criminal elements (although, as Anna later pointed out, Racer is so unique that one could hardly pawn her, or expect to ride her openly on the streets -- but still).

Next day -- right at the library's 9 a.m. opening -- I picked up Racer with the traditional trunk rack, which left it sticking out both sides; a slow and careful drive home, and Mei and I manuevered it into my basement workshop. After some tedious searching, I found a tiny shard of glass sticking through the sidewall, which took a lot of work with tweezers and needlenose pliers to extricate. By the time I finished it was too late and hot to set out on a ride, so I promised Anna we'd go in the morning.

Sunday morning broke hot, humid, and sunny, with heat index warnings. Before Anna and I left, Mei and I persuaded Daniel to go for a short ride, despite his misgivings. We set out, his feet in the pedal straps, but he refused to pedal (I suspect it was an organized "slowdown"). When, during the ride, I asked him how he liked it, he said "okay," but when I asked him which way I should go, he said, "home." So we did, one time around the block. But, it's a start. He promised to ride again, but "not today."

Then I got Mei onto the bike -- she's never ridden a bike, and had some misgivings. But the short ride went well, and she wants to go again, for a longer distance. At least she pedaled.

And Anna and I set off, to downtown again. Things went smoothly, and the tire held. But downtown being down, it was easy to go further than I intended, and, with the heat and humidity, I sensed an impending bonk. Whenever we stopped for traffic lights the heat seemed to push up in a wall from the pavement, and shade seemed scarce. So I set the return route as least challenging as possible, but still found myself fading. We stopped at the EVP coffee shop, a couple miles from home, so I could get some icewater. As I stood in there with my water, two different people said something about it being very hot, and looking at me with what appeared to be mild concern. When I went into the bathroom I saw why -- my face was as red as my helmet, or as Racer's scarlet paint. But with nothing left to do but do it, we set out again; the downhills and flats were tolerable, but the hills were a struggle, so much so that even Anna asked if I were okay. We finally did arrive home, into glorious air-conditioning and fruit smoothies. A half-hour nap on the bed, with an overhead fan blowing over me, and I was about as good as new.

And ready to go again.