So here's how it really went;
Ready to go and got the bike out about 9:15 AM, checked the air in the tires. All needed air.
Our tires have what is called "Presta valves on them. Presta valves are different from ordinary bike tire vales, which are known as "Schrader valves" Presta valves have a narrow stem, and in order to inflate them or check air pressure, there is a small nut on the end of the valve that has to be loosened. A special air pump or adapter has to used on presta valves. Schrader valves are wider and when filling them or checking air pressure, they are spring activated. They can be filled at any gas station or with an ordinary air pump. Presta valves are used on narrower rims, because a wider valve can compromise the strength of the rim, more than a narrow one does.
Presta valves have not been my friend. On the contrary, they wait for me to come. Anticipating, what they can do to delay our bike ride in any way. They have plotted against me, and I am now on my 3rd portable air pump, (one that straps to the bike, in case we need it on the road. ) The first 2 portable pumps I bought had a tendency to bend the valves when I removed the pump, after adding air. Presta valves bend easily. The latest portable pump, ("that will be $40.00, maa'm." ) has a built in pressure gauge on it, so the pump doesn't have to be removed to check air pressure. (less chance of bending the valve. The pump, which fits on the valve very tightly, should not be wiggled to get it off. (that WILL bend the valve) Instead, a person places their thumbs on either side of where it attaches, and firmly presses up to remove the pump from the valve. In theory that is how it works. Theory and reality, are not the same thing.
I should have been on guard, when I knelt by the tire, but I have switched to schrader adapters, which means that I can use an ordinary pump on them, and not be concerned about damaging the thin presta valve. Life is easier now. Just unscrew the schrader valve, open the presta valve, put the schrader valve back on, check the air, and add more, if needed. Simple.
I bent down and began unscrewing the schrader valve, as soon as it was off, the presta valve came shooting out , while the air was hissing out of the tire. I'm almost sure I could hear laughter coming from the presta valve, which was lying 5 feet away. "haha, I really got her that time. loved the look on her face. Now lets see how she handles this one."
I, however, was prepared, having stocked up with one not 1, but 3, extra inner tubes, all with presta valves, since that is all our rims will accommodate. I had never changed a tire on the back wheel, which must be removed to get the tire off and on.
I took a picture of the chain routing, incase I couldn't get it on correctly after taking the wheel off.
I turned the quick release, but couldn't get the wheel off. Fortunately, our seasonal neighbor was at his cottage, so Tony asked him to help. He helped me get the wheel off and gave me a few tips and a little help changing the tire. I thanked him and he went walking down our driveway towards his house. When I went to remove the air pump, once again, the valve came shooting out, while the air hissed out of the tire. The neighbor came back, screwed the valve back in, and filled the tire again. Then carefully checked the other tires and added air, admitting , that "those presta valves were touchy." I thanked him for his help, and at 10:30 AM, Tony and I started our ride.
It was warm, but I could see clouds coming in, and figured we would have cloud cover soon. The weatherman had predicted a partly cloudy day. We rode along, visiting as we pedaled, enjoying the ride.
More cars than usual on the road, because of Razzaque days in LeRoy. Razzaque days is an annual event. The word "razzaque," does not appear in any dictionary I could find, so perhaps it is a swedish or norwegian term, after all this area was settled by people of Danish ancestry. Razzaque days is a big deal in LeRoy, with a weekend of festivities. It has a parade, and a car show along with other activities. The parade had just finished when we rolled into LeRoy. Kids were smiling, carrying their bags of candy to the car. With so much activity we had to watch for both cars, both parked and moving, and pedestrian. Since the trike is so low to the ground, a person opening their car door, might not see us approaching their car or riding past.
We were glad when we got on the White Pine Trail. We took that to Tustin, then got on 20 mile Rd, and took that to Bristol. It is so nice to have the trail done. Not sure if the section between LeRoy and Reed city will be paved this year or in 2012. Once that is done, there will be about 45 miles of paved trail between Cadillac and Big Rapids, plus the paved trails that connect with the White Pine Trail at the crossroads in Reed City.
Quite a few big hills on the route, the sun came out, making the ride hot and humid. Not much shade on our side of the road. At the 18 mile mark, we turned around in someone's driveway. There was a nice shady spot across the street, we stopped to take a break there.
A man came from across the road, from the house, by the driveway we had just used, he owned the property we had stopped at. It had a cute little one room house on it. I didn't ask, but wondered if the house was their "vacation house," before they built a permanent house across the street. It looked like a nice little get away, and the property was nicely mowed and maintained.
The man was friendly, told us to help ourselves to some nice cold well water, there was an out house on the property, nice and clean, with TP, he offered us the use of that too. We had some cold well water, a bathroom break, a nice rest, and went on our way refreshed.
It was tough going with the hills and the heat, we took another break at the Bristol store, had ice cream and a banana. Sat in the shade to cool off and headed towards Tustin. The ride seemed longer on the return because it had gotten so much hotter out. Tony was having problems over heating, so we rode at a slower pace, especially when we were in the shade. Stopped in Tustin for water, then got back on the trail.
Had a discussion about how the heat is more intense when riding a trike. We are only 18 inches above the pavement, and the pavement throws off intense heat, meaning that we are riding on a heat island, closer to the heat source than rider of regular bikes. Riders on a diamond frame bike are riding in a lower air temperature than we are, because they are further away from the pavement. of course once we had the conversation, we both felt hotter than we had, before.
Rode past an underground storm shelter. The door was partly open, likely more of a shelter for animals than people, these days.
We were about 3 miles down the trail, and had a flat tire. It wasn't the same tire that we had problems with before we left home. It was the front tire, the same one that had been replaced when we were on our PALM ride. The valve was slightly bent on it. We pumped it up, rode 2 more miles, pumped it up again, got off of the trail, We were about 2 miles from home and it went flat again. We stopped in a driveway, and asked if we could leave our bike there, figuring we would walk home, get our trailer, and haul the bike home. They offered us a ride home, which we gratefully accepted. We came back with the trailer and loaded up the trike and took it home. It was 4:30, 89 degrees and very humid. We rode 34 miles today. Had hoped to ride 40 today, but between the heat and the tire issues, 34 miles, was good enough.
When we got home, decided that we are going to have the rims on the trike drilled out big enough to switch to schrader valves. I am done with Presta valves and all their shenanigans. They can go plot against someone else.
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