Cranbrook to Fernie had curve-balls as, though the weather finally was smiling sunshine on me, I now had the first of my bike problems. The next before, after my long day of biking, I had an accident where I forgot that my bungee cords are really snakes and have minds of their own as one decided it would slinky its way down into the gears and pop out 3 spokes in the process. So, this morning, I had to start my day pleading to a bike shop who was booking for June 9th, to squeeze me in help fix the spokes so I could make it to Fernie; I may have even dropped the line “no that’s okay, I can’t wait until June 9th, it’s just I’m trying to cycle across Canada for sick kids and I’m not sure if they can wait” (no, I didn’t have to be that guilt trippy).
So, I got the bike moving again and, for the first time, I got cycle along side another cyclist for a couple kilometers after having met him while enjoying some delicious Blueberry Cheesecake that was in the process of giving me energy for the back half of the day. Unfortunately though, after he pedaled on (as he was a real cyclist and could go must faster and wasn’t pulling a trailer full of glockenspiels, trumpets and other wazoos), I heard a pop as the snaking bungee, from the previous day, had claimed its last and final victim. Another spoke popped (as it was On The Verge from before but wasn’t fixed in Cranbrook that morning. So, with the spoke missing and a weird wobble happening with the back tire, it made it difficult to pedal as the tire kept brushing up against the brake pads and lost its speed quite quickly. The only option left, it seemed, to keep moving forward was just to cut the breaks and hope that they wouldn’t be needed; so, that’s just what I did. I pedaled the second half of the day sans breaks and just hopped that the dear and other wildlife on the shoulders wouldn’t try to make a break for it while I was speeding down a hill. I, also, needless to say, had to strap a bumper sticker on my back saying that “I break for no one” (except other Spaceballs).
Video of a tunnel I was told was going to be quite adventurous and exciting:
“Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So… get on your way!” – Dr. Seuss
🙂
This article appears in May 31 – Jun 6, 2007.