vital to work out on monday

I have always felt it is vital to get a work out on monday
it is a great way to start the week
it is good to know that if you don't work out again at least you got in one work out
then if you are shooting for 3-5 work outs a week, without Monday it just may not happen

wanted to ride
of course wanted to ride dirt, but after last night's rain it would be mud
so pavement was my only option
not to mention there was a shortage of time
time that would be better spent riding than driving to the trailhead
cursed myself for not getting out on dirt when it was frozen and fast this weekend

for whatever reason I was stuck on the notion of riding my cross bike
riding a different bike on the same section of road can change the experience entirely
not just the gearing but the body position also alters the experience as a whole
different bars and in this case a completely different bike
one issue
broken spoke on the rear wheel
with a spin of the wheel I figured it was straight enough to ride
with the Spooky cross brakes there was room for a little wobble
this old wheel is past its prime
I spun the broken spoke free from the spoke nipple
the wheel was now a 35 spoke, not 36 spoke, rear wheel
the wheel was not so bad that I am ready to retire it, but this is most certainly one of this wheel's last rides
as it was president's day I was not sure if City Bikes would be open
so I figured I would just go ahead and go out and hit the shop on the loop back after a few miles

it was great to get out on the old Jamis Nova
sure it is way too small for me
but the sensation of being on a thin tired bike with drop bars felt good
the acceleration and the glide, well, the glide with the wobble of the rear wheel
being a holiday there were sections of Beach Drive closed, but only a fraction of my short ride
went our past the Mormon temple then towards Rockville
encountered all sorts of cyclists doing their own thing
tandems, track bikes, roadies, more roadies, and then just some regular folk
in the roadie eye I am quite Fredlike with my backpack and all the lights
well, actually, in anybody's eye I am sure that I look more like the bear riding a tricycle in the circus
my big beard and my big body dwarfing the mininutive frame with its skinny little wheels

on the way out the phone rang, the phone never rings, I stop thinking and fearing that it is work
sure enough
time to pick up the pace and head into work

but
not without swinging through City Bikes for a quick repair
just a tad further forward before I made my turn around, no reason to be so close without making the full extension
the body is feeling good the bike is feeling alright
I attribute some of the drag on the bike being the rear wheel falling further out of true and my body being slightly out of shape; winter weight?
as I crested a little roll of a climb I glanced back at the tangent where the rear tire meets the earth
sure enough it was flat.... wellnot exactlyflat... it was losing air

with the tire losing air I make a turn off Jones Bridge onto the Capitol Crescent trail as I shout a hello to Mount Pleasant neighbor, fellow mountainbiker, friend, and frelative through marriage, Lex
no time for more than a hello for either party
we are both father's of two meeting out window of opportunity.... our very small window of opportunity
sprint out the last 100 yards questioning if the thrusting is causing the air to exit at a more rapid rate than trying to ride light and smooth
then I realize..... I do not know how to ride light and smooth

yep
with a cross dismount to raise the bike I pinch the rear tire..... almost entirely flat
as I round the corner past the line of display bikes I see Sean Bega making a sale or making small talk with a set of parents whose child just pedaled off to try out what looks like her first geared bike
Sean is a wealth of knowledge with a strong belief in the product.... not sure of his sales style, but I would guess that he steps back and lets the bicycle sell itself

in some sort of a manic rush I tell sean my problem and my needs
he directs me to where I can work and where what I needs will be
I toss the seat over the stand
no need to clamp into the stand
this is a quick turn around repair
already know that the spoke is none drive side, so only a few steps to get this bike rolling again
with the tire flat I remove it before I start the process
mechanic dave and I exchange hellos

as Sean moves back to the front of the story directing my attention to light for the trueing stand

I notice the shade before I noticed the lamp....
someone made a very awesome lamp out of a rear triangle of an old bike
not unlike some bar stool I have seen
only this frame is not so old
it is a beautiful chrome GT frame that makes a pretty awesome lamp
quick release remains allowing for adjustment of the lamp height

that lamp is worth another look as well as a photo and a post on the site

the shop experience was quick and clean
this shop is run like a well oiled machine
the bikes are assembled on the floor and on the racks, the product is well stocked and clearly displayed, and the mechanic work space is organized, clean, and logically arranged
there are about 50 helmet boxes on the floor, but..... there are things that need to be done

they have all the spokes.... well.... they have a great number of well arranged spokes
more importantly, they have the spoke size that I need
I weave the spoke into place
not bending it too much to get it past the rear cluster (cassette, excuse me)
then over and under and a little tightening of the nipple
then into the stand
this wheel is pretty ugly
but I am shooting for "best possible" or at least my non-career mechanic best posible
a real mechanic can breath life into parts that appear to be long been past due
to the trade of bicycle mechanic's credit.... I am not that mechanic

with the wheel moderately straight I moved forward and further
in my bag I pull out a cross tube
actuall I pull out of my bag a twenty six inch tube, a twenty nine inch tube, and then also 700c cross tube while glue and patches fall on the floor

with an aircompressor to assist me the tire and tube are on the rim and pumped up to nearly 100 psi in seconds
my good byes to mechanic dave and then up front to settle up
before I can make it to the register I figure I best grab a few nipples and a spare tube
then back to the register to settle up with Sean
there is some playful bantor and Sean makes some mention of the rapidly approaching road season
then I admit that I have no road experience, then Sean invites me to try his crit at RFK this summer
it sounds like a good plan
after warning Sean about my wreckless style he assures me that he has insurance for such things

then out the shop and across Conneticutt Avenue back on the Capitol Crescent trail where I could glide 7-9 miles downhill into work
the first section of trail is unpaved
it was fun in a sort of messed up sort of way
there was a tad bit of people traffic, most of which was trying to tip toe delicately around the puddles
even the Bethesda dogs were avoiding the mud
not me
I went forward straight and hard picking the fast and polite line
it was my own little Paris Robaix
a little excuse me, pardon me, good afternoon, on your left, on your left, then as I crossed Bethesda Avenue just outside of the tunnel of the Air Rights building I started to get a sense of that warm weather holiday crowd
the path was a tad crowded for anything more than a beach cruiser
but I had to get to work so I pointed for the flesh parade
as I crossed over Bradley Blvd. I said hello to a passing familiar face
John slowed to stop for a hello
I asked if he was headed home
sure enough he was
so I turned around to share company with John and to travel a route that would get me downtown just as fast but without being a nussance to the Sunday traffic on a Holiday Monday
also allowing me to get my building pass id... just in case

eventually got to work
we managed to do our thing and I stuck around so my coworker to head home after a long day
did not want to go to work
yet am glad to get a comp day for down the road..... maybe make that Colorado trip a long weekend

then as my day came closer to a close the world got cold, wet, and dark outside
my buddy dennis came back into the office laughing as he grabbed an unbrella
he laughed about me being on the bike
while I laughed....
it was not about the bike it was about being in nothing more than nickers and long sleeve jersey
sure enough I got wet
sure enough I got cold
but I guess I should have known
lesson learned?


oh...
bummer
tonight lisa and I were trying to line up a babysitter so we could go to an Ashtanga class together
we could not line up a babysitter
then getting called into work eliminated lisa's chance to go to Yoga as I was not home to watch the kids
I got my monday work out lisa did not
wednesday lisa must go to yoga
especially since saturday was without Yoga due to a combination of my stomach virus and a phone call from work