Twenty Mile Loop

Pi Guy and I revisited the Homestead Ridge Trail, today. We left early to avoid the pesky winds. We took the same approach as last time.

The climb after the Penrose Park started out well, but in the same location that Pi Guy slipped his chain last time, his tire went flat. Remember the pack with all the preparedness goodies. I did. Coolness, to have a spare tube.

We went through the changing drill. I got out the offending thorns, and we had the bicycle ready to go in less than ten minutes. (Not trying to be a pit crew.)

When we had reached our previous turn around spot at Barnes, Pi Guy agreed that the ride was easier this time.

We continued this time, pedaling through Old Farm, and up more hill,… and more hill. I wasn’t expecting so much hill. We ended up by the water tank in Stetson Hills. Fortunately it was all down hill from there.

Heading North we hooked up with Cottonwood Creek trail, which we took heading west. A city storm water project was fully engaged in improvement in Cottonwood Creek. We paused at a picnic table to eat a Zone Bar, and hydrate.

Everything was going well until we met up with Academy Blvd., where I expected more trail there wasn’t any. We went south on Academy, up hill, to Dublin, then went west on Dublin.

We had to drop back onto the Cottonwood Creek trail to pass under I-25.

Pi Guy needed a restroom, so we stopped at the Criterium Bicycle Shop. This is the bicycle shop just off the east side of the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail and on the west side of Corporate Drive. The building is relatively new, and the restrooms are right up front, almost the first things you see. I chatted briefly with a sales guy. He said that it was the plan of the owner to place the restrooms there, for cyclists like us. Smart marketing.

If we weren’t a little pressed for time I would have purchased a new tube to replace the one that flatted earlier. Criterium's placement is so convenient for stocking up on those consumable items. I’ll head over later to get that tube.

There is a reservoir just south of Garden of the Gods Blvd. next to Fountain Creek. “Look, up in the sky, a Blue Heron.” Or is it the same one we’ve seen before?

Except for the tired legs, the rest of the ride was uneventful.

When we got home I mixed up some vanilla milk, with vanilla syrup and 1% milk. Joe Friel in “Cycling Past 50”, suggested skim milk and sugar as a recovery drink with in thirty minutes from the end of a ride. Skim because fat delays digestion.

Our distance for the day was about twenty miles. We’ll be doing the short distances for a week once the weather stabilizes warmer.

Silver Lining

A few days later, Blue Jay was asking to bicycle to the Dog Tooth Cafè. We call it that but the proper name is Dogtooth Coffee Company. It’s on the corner of North Corona and East Columbia, a really out of the way place, unless you’re on a bicycle on the Shook’s Run Trail. That is how most of those who don’t live in the neighborhood find it. That is how we came across it.

February has been blessed with many warm and beautiful days. On that particular Thursday we did don our bicycles and helmets. The whole family was invited to go but Pi Guy was busy with a computer basketball game and the ride wouldn’t be all that challenging. And, Lucy had some around the house stuff to do.

The trip to was uneventful.

Blue Jay enjoyed a pistachio gelato, my favorite. But being February she had exhausted the last supply of it. I had black cherry gelato instead. The girl behind the counter said that she was coming in early the next day to make a fresh round of gelato because the weather was so fine. She also joked to Blue Jay that she had sampled some avocado gelato to a boy about her age. Not something Blue Jay was inclined to try.

Blue Jay and I ate outside, enjoying the sunshine. We then mounted our bikes for the return.

On the way back Blue Jay began to waiver on and off the path. Since Shook’s Run Trail passes behind a Safeway we stopped to get water from a vending machine. We had not taken (my mistake) water bottles with us.

I thought her tires were unusually loud as we continued down the path. As we turned on to the Rock Island Trail, I realized that the culprit was a flat tire. It was a “goat head” flat. So we walked both bikes the rest of the way home.

Silver lining? Now we have a.) A “practice” flat to replace, b.) A reminder for me, to always prepare with cell phone, water, a tube replacement for each tire size, and a pump, even on short trips; and c.) Another reminder to stay on the trail to avoid what is locally known as “goat heads.”

Goat heads look like small pea seeds with spikes, they are sturdy enough to easily puncture the tire and tube of a mountain bike.

Bicycle Maintenance Class Finish

Pi Guy was very attentive the whole time of the Bicycle Village maintenance class. But had no questions when Mike asked.

Mike then showed us some combination tools that we might want to have when road riding. We returned to the demo bike with Mike asking if there was anything else that we had specific questions about. My question had to do with posture on the bike and how to adjust the handle bar post. He explained that the handle bar post it self was not adjustable but that there were different handle bar options as well as different handle bar attaching options that would make that dimension of posture on the bike vary.

He continued saying that the brake pads require replacement when the pad was flat instead of showing the grooves in the pad. One should also check that the pads haven’t glazed. Some brake adjustment can be made at the brake handle.

When Mike spun the wheel he noticed that it wobbled slightly between the brake pads. He checked that the axel was seated correctly, and then showed us how to “true” the wheel by tightening a spoke. He explained how the adjuster was threaded and how that would effect the direction of the tightening turn.

We talked a little about proper seat height.

He spoke a little about chain cleaning and lubrication. Saying that using a few drops of a silicone based lubricant could be applied then as the chain was spun using the pedal, the chain could be wiped down with the cloth. The cloth would both clean the chain and spread and remove excess lubricant.

Mike asked if we had purchase our bicycles at Bicycle Village. I answered that we had so he reminded me that we have a free annual tune up. The bicycle technician at that time would check out the bike and make adjustments.

He then demonstrated the use of the gage that would indicate the amount of stretch the chain had experienced. With mountain bikes he suggested that a chain change should occur about every 1,500 miles.

Pi Guy still had no questions; and had remained attentive the whole time.

It didn’t seem right having gone over bicycle basics, to then walk out into the cold, blowing, almost snow of February. Pi Guy agreed pulling on his alpaca hat. The van fired up and we headed home.

Replacing the Tire, Revelations, Clarification

Replacing a tire, according to Mike, our affable guide, should have the manufacturer’s name lined up with the valve stem hole. With the tire’s back bead within the rim, replace the tube, valve stem first. If you’ve already used your spare tube, a patch might be necessary. A little inflation will help get the tube in the tire and on the rim.

Mike let out a little additional air, checking to make sure that no part of the tube was being pinched by the tire and rim. Then he started working the remaining bead back onto the rim using the tire tool at the end to finish it off. Another check of both rim beads confirmed that there was no tube caught.

The tube was then inflated in two stages first to set the beads then to full manufacturer’s maximum recommended pressure. He engaged the small chain ring on the tire with the lower part of the chain (dangling) and the axle replaced in the slots in the rear forks. Mike said not to over do it on tightening the release lever. It could bend the forks or damage the bearings in the hubs.

As the last task he reaffixed the brake cable to the linear brake pull. He then mentioned that to release the front wheels there were some retaining tabs, as well as the release lever.

I’ll have more on the class later.

In my reading I have had some new revelations, like why “those” cyclists shave their legs. I always thought that there might be a minimal aerodynamic benefit, but that smooth was also a little “off” for a guy. My mistake. It has more to do with the ease of cleaning up road rash after a spill.

You don’t need to worry about me and Pi Guy and shaved legs. My leg hairs have never seen the razor. Pi Guy has remarkably hairy legs for his age, however, I can’t even get him to shave his fledgling mustache.

But if leg shaving is planning ahead for less pain, I’m not going to dis smooth legs anymore.

Another thing is “those” tight bicycle shorts. It’s not just fashion; those things have saddle cushions built in. This could be troublesome. If we wear them, the general public probably won’t know by seeing us. They’ll be covered up.

And, to clarify on my weight posting, what I am using for "waist" is a measurement “level around the belly button.” 8<)

42.3

Fixing a Flat

So we did go to Bicycle Village for their basic bicycle maintenance class. I imagine that during the summer, especially after a bicycle sale, that the class was just that, a class. As it was, Pi Guy and I were the only two that showed up.

The “instructor” (more like “guide”), Michael, was very friendly and was good enough to ask what it was that we were interested in learning. He went to the bikes on the show room racks while we waited in the maintenance area, and pulled down a Trek hybrid to use as a demonstration model.

We started with how to change out a flat. This particular Trek bicycle had the skinny Presta valve, as opposed to the fatter Schrader valves. Because the rear tire has the mystique of the derailleur chain rings, Mike used this wheel to demonstrate.

He shifted both derailleurs to the smallest chain rings, and showed us how to remove the brake cable from the linear pull brake. He let out almost all the air from the tube, and then with a flip of the wheel release lever, removed the tire from the frame. He also said that on the road, one could release the wheel, and lift the frame from the wheel.

Placing the wheel on the bench he removed the ring nut from the valve stem (Schrader valves don’t have that ring nut). Mike said that it would be good to notice the orientation of the tire on the wheel. He usually aligns the brand name with the valve stem.

Beginning opposite the valve stem, with a rim tool, he lifted the tire bead from the rim, then repeating the process with the remaining bead. Leaving the tube inside the tire he removed both tire and tube from the rim. Mike removed the tube from the tire and inflated the tube slightly. This is where the tire/tube/wheel orientation is important.

I looked at Pi Guy, to gage his attentiveness. He nodded his affirmation.

Mike said to check the tube as best as possible listening (or looking, if water is available) for leaking air. Then checking the relative alignment of the leak to the tire, he would check inside the tire for any protrusion; he would also check the rest of the tire inside for any other imperfections to be removed. If there were a hole in the tire it would need to be covered over to avoid pinching or chafing the tube. He mentioned duct tape as a possibility. (Even a bill of any currency denomination would work.)

Replacing the tire next time.