getting into shape for fall

Well I finally managed to get up to Brown over the weekend. It was sunny and hot but I made it and was exhausted after the ride. I’m not used to being so exhausted after riding Brown. I guess that’s what you call “out of shape.” And, of course on the way home I was starving and every other house I passed was grilling up some kind of delicious Labor Day meal. I’m a vegetarian, but let me tell you those steaks smelled really really really good.

It was nice to get back on the suspension bike – Metamorphosis. As it turned out, she was a little out of shape as well. As I started up the climb the handlebars came loose. Luckily I brought my tools so it was simple to tighten and continue. On the way down the front brake was making some scraping noises. I couldn’t fix that on the trail but made it home okay.

Today I replaced the front brake pads. The old pads were basically down to the metal on one side – hence the scraping sounds. As I was assessing the repair I also noticed that one of the spoke nipples was broken. A guy at the bike shop tried to sell me one nipple for one dollar even though I had just spent $30 in the store for the brake pads. His coworker had way more sense and was like “dude, he’s wearing a Bike Week Pasadena t-shirt, I think we can float him a nipple.” Actually he didn’t say it in words so much as snort it out his nose while shaking his head at his coworker – enough not said.