With temperatures in the 50s today, and rain forcasted for tomorrow, this Saturday was a perfect time to get out for a ride.
Maybe I should add a warning here that the following is completely boring, but read on if you want.
Originally, I planned to do a ride with some guys from my old team at Deem Lake, which is a state recreation area here in Clark Co. It is a 20 minute drive from Utica, and so I left around 11:30 to get there around noon, when the ride was supposed to start. I pulled into the parking lot and just sat around listening to me book on CD for awhile, but then 12:00 came and went and I began to wonder if anyone else was going to show up. As I was just getting ready to leave, I saw another car go by that had a bike on its roof. I followed it to find the rest of guy at another parking lot, that should have been a sign that things were only going to get worse for me.
We left on the ride a few minutes later, and I only made it about 5 minutes into the ride when I noticed that my left pedal was acting funny. Turns out it was backing itself out of the crank arm, which is something I have never had happen to me before. None of the guys I was with had the tools to fix it and
neither did I, so I had to hike it back to the car. Well, really I rode most of the way back, cause I was able to tighten the pedal down a little ways with my fingers. But halfway back to the car, the pedal came out again, and this time I noticed that there were some medal filings with it. By riding the pedal, I had accidently stripped the first few threads of my crank arm. I was kind of worried that I had ruined the crank arm. So anyway, I made it to the car and headed for the bike shop to see if they could help me.
To make a long story short (or at least shorter), yes the bike shop was able to help me and I was reminded yet again of the difference between people who made their living fixing bikes and people who putz around with bikes like me.
I even still got a ride in, which was nice because it gave me a chance to test out some new equipment on my bike, which was a new seat, the cranks that I thought I had ruined, and a carbon fibre fork. I ended up riding at the old River Road Country Club, just doing some laps there and watching all the people who were taking their dogs for walks.
The first picture is one of my favorite spots on the course. At that point, you come down off a small hill, and hit those a slight curve, but I guess maybe I just like the pine trees. The second is obviously my bike with the new stuff on it.
neither did I, so I had to hike it back to the car. Well, really I rode most of the way back, cause I was able to tighten the pedal down a little ways with my fingers. But halfway back to the car, the pedal came out again, and this time I noticed that there were some medal filings with it. By riding the pedal, I had accidently stripped the first few threads of my crank arm. I was kind of worried that I had ruined the crank arm. So anyway, I made it to the car and headed for the bike shop to see if they could help me. 
After nearly a month of just riding my trainer indoors, the last few days I have finally gotten out for some time on the road. On Christmas Day, I rode from home to John and Sandy's for Christmas dinner and today I rode 3o miles in sunny 40 degree weather.
Here are a few shots from our Christmas Celebration.
