We survived two rigorous days and an impressive thunderstorm while camping Fern Clyffe State Park last night. Today was a break. The weather could hardly be better. We got off the course accidentally after a morning Subway stop in Goreville but made it to Carbondale without adding more mileage. We met a guy going the opposite direction who thought he was heading west. For a moment nobody knew who was more lost. It turned out we had it right!
A reason to be in Carbondale was to stop at a bike shop to get our bikes checked out. We went to a shop called
Bike Surgeon. Neither of us had anything specific that needed to be fixed, that we knew of anyway. Turns out to have been a wise decision. Steve had developed cracks in his rear rim. We shuttered to think of the consequences had the wheel failed during one of the many high speeds descents we’d made over the past days. Nothing happened and it’s going to get fixed now. The new wheel will be here Wednesday. Ian works there and was very helpful. We would recommend them. Now we have the entire day tomorrow to run errands and rest. Wednesday we’ll be back on the road. Thursday we cross the Mississippi and head west!
By the way there was a slight chance we’d see Jules today as he had an appointment for his bike earlier in the day but he was already off for points west by the time we got into Carbondale. Alan is probably also ahead of us for good. They’ll both leave the TA in Pueblo, CO and head straight west to California. We’ll follow the TA northwest into the mountains and Wyoming.
7 comments:
This should not have happened. A: Stephen is a light person. B: He is not carrying a lot of weight on the bike. C: Tell Ian... thank you for being there, and getting these dudes back on the road.
Thanks Jeffrey. You confirm our thinking. The new rim will have eyelets! Tom
Hope that's the biggest near crisis you encounter!! Crossing the Mississippi will be an experience I bet. I am always awed driving across.Funny I haven west of the Mississippi all my adult life......Take care
Tom! I went back and read all your posts...what a stalwart duo you guys are!
And a cracked rim!! Jeez! When I bike toured through Western Europe...my nightmare was breaking spokes...., good thing I never considered a cracked rim..would have gotten NO sleep at all! Best of luck to you guys in the days ahead...I’m enjoying your posts and pix!
Thanks! I see you work in NYC. Anyone who bikes there has got my respect and admiration!
I have never lived west of the Mississippi. We’ll ride along the river for most of tomorrow before crossing Thursday! Love you Peg!
Tom - I did bike on the streets of NYC.....but am now in New Mexico...I’ll only be biking in my development....crazy drivers out here!
-Curtis
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