My Other Love

So, I was busy again this weekend. I spent all day yesterday reconnecting with my other love, all things cycling.

I started competitive cycling in college and, as a poor college student, had to learn how to fix and maintain my own bike because I couldn't afford all the trips to the shop for parts and repairs. I have a mechanical mind so fixing the bike always was a real thrill and joy.

Getting in enough mileage to be competitive around here is just impossible with my schedule so the bikes have been hanging on the wall since we moved into the house two years ago. Now that Jake is starting to show an interest in learning to ride, we've been working more and more on getting out as a family to get him used to the idea of moving and balancing and pedaling.

I took him for a spin last weekend and on our last lap of the neighborhood I cranked it up and pulled the chain apart. The extra pounds around my midsection added to my ability to generate power was apparently too much for the bike. We walked home.

What I had discovered prior to walking up the driveway was not good. My wife's bike would neither brake nor shift and now the chain was broken. What I had was a big two-wheeled paperweight.

Yesterday I overhauled the shifting system and the braking system and repaired the broken chain. It took me longer than usual because I'm rustier on turning wrenches than I am on bushcraft skills. Now, however, the bike is as good as new and shifting is crisp and braking is solid.

Sarah will ride for a short time in the trailer now so I think daily rides are going to become part of our routine to get her used to longer and longer trips until we can really enjoy our time out more.

Thanks for reading,


B