Back to Biking
After a short hiatus, due to many work hours, I have resumed my semi-regularly scheduled cycling commute. I used to ride about 5 miles 2x day to get to and from work (added to about 10 miles of Public Transportation). Now, because I start work at 0530, I am trying to manage 3-4 days per week of a 12 miler to get home only. Part of my difficulty in completing this task is that I have to pick up Cassidy at school after camps and other functions, some days we have to be at tourneys shortly after work, so I am not consistently riding like I would prefer.
The days I get to ride are treasured, as the Denver area has some great bike routes, and with gas prices as high as they are, cycling is loads cheaper. I will confess that the dreaded goat head thorn took its toll on me 2 weeks ago. Now there are great expanses of gravel path with vegetation throughout the metro area. Most of it is out of my way, but when I can, I like getting a little “off-road.” On Monday I completed my commute and went through a little gravel. Wednesday, when I began my commute home, my rear tire seemed sluggish (more than usual as a knobby on pavement). Not wanting to get stuck on one of the more majorly traveled roads with a flat, I began the process of investigating the tire. As with ALL of my flats in Denver so far, a goat head thorn is the culprit. So I repair the flat, and prepare to resume when……front flat!!!!! &$(*@#$@#$^!!! Now, I eschewed getting a pump when I bought my 29er, since there is a large volume of air needed, I was gonna be lazy and use CO2 to get me home, then use the compressor. I will tell you right now that I am no longer a CO2 kinda guy. Of course I did not have enough CO2 to fill the front tire and was resigned to taking the bus the rest of the way home. I believe that Murphy hates cyclists also! As I was walking from the light rail station to my house, .75 miles, the lightning, thunder, and the obligatory hail started pouring. Not my happiest memory. Needless to say, I purchased a pump later that afternoon.
I would like to mention at this point that www.denvertrails.com has a proven to be an invaluable with their maps listing trails and roads that are bike friendly. I have planned all but one of my commutes with their information, and the lonely trip without their guidance was a total bust.
After a short hiatus, due to many work hours, I have resumed my semi-regularly scheduled cycling commute. I used to ride about 5 miles 2x day to get to and from work (added to about 10 miles of Public Transportation). Now, because I start work at 0530, I am trying to manage 3-4 days per week of a 12 miler to get home only. Part of my difficulty in completing this task is that I have to pick up Cassidy at school after camps and other functions, some days we have to be at tourneys shortly after work, so I am not consistently riding like I would prefer.
The days I get to ride are treasured, as the Denver area has some great bike routes, and with gas prices as high as they are, cycling is loads cheaper. I will confess that the dreaded goat head thorn took its toll on me 2 weeks ago. Now there are great expanses of gravel path with vegetation throughout the metro area. Most of it is out of my way, but when I can, I like getting a little “off-road.” On Monday I completed my commute and went through a little gravel. Wednesday, when I began my commute home, my rear tire seemed sluggish (more than usual as a knobby on pavement). Not wanting to get stuck on one of the more majorly traveled roads with a flat, I began the process of investigating the tire. As with ALL of my flats in Denver so far, a goat head thorn is the culprit. So I repair the flat, and prepare to resume when……front flat!!!!! &$(*@#$@#$^!!! Now, I eschewed getting a pump when I bought my 29er, since there is a large volume of air needed, I was gonna be lazy and use CO2 to get me home, then use the compressor. I will tell you right now that I am no longer a CO2 kinda guy. Of course I did not have enough CO2 to fill the front tire and was resigned to taking the bus the rest of the way home. I believe that Murphy hates cyclists also! As I was walking from the light rail station to my house, .75 miles, the lightning, thunder, and the obligatory hail started pouring. Not my happiest memory. Needless to say, I purchased a pump later that afternoon.
I would like to mention at this point that www.denvertrails.com has a proven to be an invaluable with their maps listing trails and roads that are bike friendly. I have planned all but one of my commutes with their information, and the lonely trip without their guidance was a total bust.
posted by augiepete at 11:54 PM
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