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Dec. 6th, 2011
Day 30 - Bryan to Toledo
Dec. 6th, 2011 03:45 pmHoly Toledo!
Anybody want to buy an adorable little tractor?
Today I listened to lots of podcasts about technology, since my brain wasn't in a storytelling mood, and pedaled casually eastward with the wind blowing gently at my side. I saw plenty of evidence of the recent rains:
I also paused by the side of the road to eat lunch and observed a gang of chickens pecking around. Bok bok bok! So nice to see them outside enjoying themselves.
Today turned out to be my last day on the road, for a couple of reasons. The first one was my lack of time: I needed to get to New York in the next five days, and I still had more than 600 miles to go. The second reason was more immediate: The rutted streets of Toledo destroyed the front rim of my bicycle.
I made it to a Thai restaurant for some mediocre chow, but by then the rim was bent so far out of shape that it was sticking against the brake pads. To get to the motel I had to unhook the brake cable and bend the pads outward, otherwise the wheel would not turn at all. And after that, the wheel would stick even with the brake pads turned aside, unless I partially deflated the tire. Clearly the bike was in no shape for distance riding, and barely adequate just for getting around town. I had to find some alternative method of travel. I booked two nights at the motel, allowing myself a day to relax and explore my options, and then it was SPLAT onto the bed, with my sleeping bag wrapped around me.
Anybody want to buy an adorable little tractor?
Today I listened to lots of podcasts about technology, since my brain wasn't in a storytelling mood, and pedaled casually eastward with the wind blowing gently at my side. I saw plenty of evidence of the recent rains:
I also paused by the side of the road to eat lunch and observed a gang of chickens pecking around. Bok bok bok! So nice to see them outside enjoying themselves.
Today turned out to be my last day on the road, for a couple of reasons. The first one was my lack of time: I needed to get to New York in the next five days, and I still had more than 600 miles to go. The second reason was more immediate: The rutted streets of Toledo destroyed the front rim of my bicycle.
I made it to a Thai restaurant for some mediocre chow, but by then the rim was bent so far out of shape that it was sticking against the brake pads. To get to the motel I had to unhook the brake cable and bend the pads outward, otherwise the wheel would not turn at all. And after that, the wheel would stick even with the brake pads turned aside, unless I partially deflated the tire. Clearly the bike was in no shape for distance riding, and barely adequate just for getting around town. I had to find some alternative method of travel. I booked two nights at the motel, allowing myself a day to relax and explore my options, and then it was SPLAT onto the bed, with my sleeping bag wrapped around me.