Went Wednesday to Town Hall to join folks for beers as usual. Biked up the Hiawatha LRT trail as usual. Ran over some foliage as usual, but something kept clicking in the fender. I can see that I've gotten a twig or something stuck in the front tire which I will remove when I stop. So, after pulling off the trail by the Bedlam Theater, I flick at the twig that was stuck between the treads.
Wait, it's still there -- this doesn't look right. I finally pull at the offending flora only to find that it was stuck to the tire by a thorn. A thorn of immense proportions it turns out. I finally extracted it and I was amazed at its length. It was roughly 4cm long and the width of a sewing needle. I've never seen anything like it before, but whatever it was, it was a true road hazard as it had penetrated both the tire and tube.
I managed to get to the Hub Co-op on Cedar to get another tire (yes, I have a patch kit, but beers were waiting) and walk the bike the two blocks to the bar. After a pint of a really nice Oktoberfest, I felt steady enough to change the tire, after all I was really shaken by the size of that thorn, you know. Can't just fix a tire with shattered nerves...
Passers by asked about the tire or the bike (the Dumvee), and one fellow asked how you fix a tire, so I showed him my patch kit (see, I told you I had one) and explained how it worked. Eventually the tube was replaced and fully aired -- and I'm going to thank Kent Peterson for the recommendation for the Road Morph G, it is a great pump -- and I was able to join the festivities already in progress.
Thankfully, the ride home under a beautiful moon was uneventful.
3 comments:
Dude, my bro and I saw you at Town Hall, wondered why you had the tire off your bike, now I know.
While at Town Hall on Wednesday we both enjoyed ma cask IPA, yum.
My name is Tom and My bro and I have ridden to Town Hall from St. Louis Park repeatedly over the summer. Love the beer and the atmosphere, especially enjoy the chance to get out and have a ride with friends.
Hope to see you at the bar again, if I do I will introduce myself.
Tom,
I'll be at the end of the bar by the door -- come and introduce yourself. Love to meet any fan of bikes and TH beer...
Look for the fat guy with the red beard, that'll be me.
Seems all things are resolved better with the beer salve. Glad you made it home ok.
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