Sunday, March 21, 2010

Update!!!

The Update:
- 13 days of Cycling
- 12 days of Running

I have now still 1553km to log before I leave in June. With my Bike now in St. Catharines I find this objective to be quite easier. I went on two long bike rides since my bike arriving on thursday.

First I went 32km was an amazing ride all along the welland canal at sunset, I saw a massive turkey. Like up to my waist in height. He was in the middle of the road and I felt it was my objective to get him off the road so I then got off my bike and walked over to him shooing him off the road. Twas a success. I still think it was quiet weird to see a turkey in St. Catharines.

The second ride I attempted today, didn't end with such great results. I attempted to ride 60km a nice loop out to beamsville and back. It started off well. A little cold but as the day went on it got quite a bit warmer. The wind was awful, riding into it and up hills was difficult but still managable. Roughly 20km into the ride I felt like I was having a tough time pedaling and could feel that I wasn't gaining as much speed as I intially had hoped. I looked behind to see that my back tire was completely flat. OH GREAT!!!!! By this point I was no where near St. Catharines, to be honest I was near the town of Jordan. I needed to find a gas station to pump it up to get me home at least. So I turned off my main strip where I was riding and start walking down a street which I had thought was a main street of Jordan, instead surrounded by fields and winnaries. I began to get erally worried. I was way to far from home to walk, didn't have enough money for a cab. Had no idea where the bus station if there was one was. And I was stuck walking in my cycling shoes. I decided I would head into the next business looking place and see if they could give me directions. So in I walked into a place called Upper Canada cheese company. I walked in asking for directions, which then led to these women believing I was too far away from home especially on bike and I looked way to worried. Therefore they offered me a ride back to St. Catharines. From here I could use a pump at a gasstation to get home. I was incredibly luck. This women wasn't even supposed to be at work today, she deicded to come in and help but was done around lunch time, hence when I arrived. So she drove me to St. Catharines and I couldn't thank her enough. She left me and I went to pump up my tire, to only find out that the tires on my bike need special pump, or an adaptor. GREAT!, so now I am at the opposite side of town, freezing and forced to walk in my cycling shoes. Awful news, I figured hey I'll walk downtown to the bike store pump up my tires. Ohhh No won't do that. I get there to find out the store has been moved!!!!! So I go to my last resort, THE BUS! I walk to the terminal ask the first bus if I can come on, bring my bike etc, she says nope. I was crushed, I decide to wait for another bus to see if a different driver would present different results. Sucess!!!! He offers to let me on and drives me back up to my way of town. This trip was scary, and from it I thought about alot of things, had a very discouraging afternoon and have begun to think that maybe i'm not cut out for TDC.........who know's.

3 comments:

Red said...

Oh, sweetie!

I think if you're going on a long ride (or TDC) you just have to make sure to keep some repair tools with you! You must be able to get one of those little pumps you could probably even mount to the frame somewhere or easily carry on your back....

And if you're wandering around lost downtown... COME TO OUR HOUSE!! You goof. :P

David Jozefkowicz said...

Stephanie , don’t be discouraged all you need to do is be a little more prepared , carry a pump , a spare tube , patches , a few tools , always some money !!!! . The basics of bike mechanics are actually easy it’s just a matter of practicing a bit. I think the main thing about the tour is to be physically fit for it ; with bike issues there will be 40 of us out there and I’m sure you’ll get may helping hands if you have a problem .
Ask at the bike stores about courses you can take , I did an excellent one this past October at “Winterborne Bicycle Institute” in Guelph, after that I found out the store where I bought my bike also offered courses so I’m sure by asking around you can find one.
Keep up the training , you’ll learn a lot during your 2000 km !!!
David

Andy Canning said...

Stephanie, at least you,'ve had all your bad luck in one go!Now there is nothing left to happen to you. "Keep your pecker up gal" and remember in June you will be embarking on a trip you will never forget.