C & WHOA!!
The C&O trail has been pretty, scenic and very….problematic!! It’s rough, full of muddy holes, branches, rocks and is bumpy as hell, it’s no trail for a cruiser. I miss you KATY! Where are you my love!
I got my first flat tire of the trip on this trail, my left trailer wheel kept loosening and wanted to fall off, I broke off my chain guard and….wait for it!!! This is the biggie….my right crank arm broke off!!! DAMNIT! I can fix most problems but I can’t magically weld metal together.
After this catastrophe, I clumsily pedaled one legged for 7 miles to the nearest town, Shepardstown WV. I had been told that there is a bike shop here…well there is in fact a bike shop, but it’s closed on Tuesdays!! What?? Not open on Tuesdays? This is America, stores are supposed to be open all the time!
Now I’m at a cafe drinking a beer, maybe I should have 10 and forget this nightmare happened. NO! I have faith, something will work out! I will pedal triumphantly into DC tomorrow!!
Here’s the video of the past two days, the second half is where you’ll find the bike drama…
Comments
Man, watching this last video
Man, watching this last video has me feeling good about biking!
I am always thankful for every ride I roll on that does not include any repair. Wow, broken crank arm? Dang!
I might think about packing some kick ass superglue in my repair kit after watching this!
Keep rockin!
So close... Hang in there!
So close...
Hang in there! We believe in you.
Every journey needs a really
Every journey needs a really crappy thing to happen for it to become an adventure (as long as you can overcome it - and you did!)...even a journey across the US on a cruiser :-)
Back in 1973, while doing one
Back in 1973, while doing one of my first long rides (just 40-50 miles down along the Illinois River) I broke the threaded-shaft off one of my crank pins (in the old days, at least on Italian bikes, crank arms were attached to the bottom-bracket shaft with a wedged-pin that had a threaded end that was used to fasten the pin in place with a 9mm nut). I could pound the pin back in place, but in less than a mile, the pin would come lose and the crank arm would begin to wobble back and forth. I was riding a rural road, out in the middle of corn country... and bike shops were pretty scarce. At one point, I had stopped along the road, to smack the pin back in once more. A kindly gentleman came out from his garage across the road and asked, "What seems to be the problem, young feller?" I showed him the pin and the crank. He says, "Let me have a look at that..." I handed the pin to him. We walked into his garage where he proceeded to weld a piece of quarter inch all-thread onto the end of the pin. We took a quarter inch nut and lock washer and put the pin back in the crank and torqued it down with a wrench. And, presto, I was on the road again. Sorry for your trouble, Duzer, but thanks for bringing back a fond memory of pedaling down the road in my younger days. And just so you don't think that it's all in my past - I just split my chain-ring derailleur while pulling a load of recycle stuff the day before yesterday. My worst day on a bike still beats the best one in a car. Keep the rubber side down! - Geoff
Yay, Duzer!!! What an
Yay, Duzer!!! What an adventure! Congrats on reaching DC. The video was amazing, so much fun to watch! Great job to your left leg and indomitable spirit for getting you the rest of the way to DC. You are an inspiration to us all, and I will think of you on my journey to bike more, drive less. I know you were just smiling before, but I'm sure you're laughing now! Good luck on Monday, and I look forward to another blog from you.
Hey Duzer, You are amazing
Hey Duzer,
You are amazing and entertaining! I am Jodi Taylor's sister, enough said. Keep it up, a sitcom is in your future!
Sue
Has anyone told you to try
Has anyone told you to try Bill Marshall?n He's out past O'Hurley's General Store.
Agggghhhh... thanks for the
Agggghhhh... thanks for the memories! I did the C&O on my recumbent ("Computing Across America") back in 1983. Great trip, but bumpy with tree roots and ruts. Wild time.
Most entertaining video!
Steve
WHAAAT??? Even in Central
WHAAAT??? Even in Central America you found a "bike shop" to fix major frame problems ( a pedal- back then, down there wasn't it?)! You ROCK! Buy you a case of New Belgium when you return!
Louise
Hey Duzer! I'm the guy who
Hey Duzer! I'm the guy who first recommended the C & O trail to you. I don't recall it being so rough! Sorry. You are progressing in grand style; what a way to cap-off an truly epic voyage... I'm super glad you chose to incorporate the C & O. From Harper's Ferry it's smoother, I think...
Cheers from Durango, CO
Brad
Two years ago I had a blowout
Two years ago I had a blowout on the C&O at mile 80. Tore a huge gash in my sidewall. Blew out another tire. Ended up walking 7 miles to Shepardstown to find the Pedal & Paddle open. They had only just opened a few months before so I was lucky.
http://www.tasigh.org/gps/gap2007.html
What a great adventure
What a great adventure Duzer!.
I'm from St. Louis, so I know KATY well and have ridden the canal trail up there. Finishing on the trail is just an anecdote. Finishing on ONE CRANKARM is an ADVENTURE TALE!
My Maryland memory is of riding the Seagull Century from Salisbury to Assateague and back in five inches of rain. Did it, had a ball, love to have the story to tell, don't ever need to do it again.
Congrats for you and your cause.
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