Every time I go out for a bicycle ride with the purpose of pleasure instead of commuting, I end up in Rundle park. It is a very nice park, but I know there are parks to the southwest of Edmonton. Do they not have a right to be enjoyed?
Today, I was unable to find anyone who would want to go for a ride. And this is probably one of the last nice days this year. I had only done a short run in the morning, due to an ankle that has become a bit of a cry-baby, so I wanted to get more exercise in. With no one to join me, I decided to use my knowledge of the running trails to find a southwestern route.
Well, it can be done. I had to cheat and use a map occasionally, but there is a way. Terwillegar park has no paved trails, so it was more of an obstacle than a destination. The Anthony Henday bridge was where I finally crossed and started to head back. There were a few times where gravel and grass were involved, but it was doable. But, the way to Rundle is more pleasant. So the only reason to go is if you just want something different, or to see some very rich people’s houses.
My bike is running smoothly, which is a pleasant change from last week.
A week ago, on Friday, I decided to bicycle to a friend’s place where he was throwing a party. I had been concerned about my bike since I fell on it, but I had a friend who was going to look at it on Saturday, so I wasn’t too concerned.
Unfortunately, the route I chose to go had a big hill. And this would be the first real hill I dealt with since my fall. It didn’t go well. With one shift, there was a crunch and I stopped moving forward. I was able to unclip before I fell over. A quick examination was distressing. A piece of my bicycle had gotten lodged in my spokes and taken the chain with it. As near as I could tell, this piece was part of my frame. This was not something I could fix on my own. Fortunately I was only a five minute walk from my friend’s, and I was able to get a ride home for me and my bike.
The next day, I learned all about my derailleur hanger and how it can be bent a bit so that if you go into the lowest gear the derailleur can get caught up in your spokes. A good learning experience, and it seemed easy enough for a professional to fix. I was able to make it out to a ride that afternoon to Rundle park where I could get nearly run off the road by a four year old child on a bike who was more interested in what was behind him than what was in front of him.