Crusty Cassette

"I followed you," Jennifer said. She was still smiling. 6 or seven little green oozes showed on her cruiser tire but it wasn't flat.

Our Sunday Cycling Society had a surprise turnout for a cold Sunday. Linda and I, Gary and Donna, Helen, Sherry, Bill Arnold, Lee Bauer, Jennifer, and Scott Whitely showed up for a casual ride. Debbie came prepared to walk.

From the start we had trouble staying together. Donna took off like a shot and suddenly we were two groups. Helen, Sherry, Linda and Scott got left behind. Scott soon closed the gap. We regrouped at Red Wolf and again at the top of Evans.

After Jennifer complained we checked our tires. Mine seemed fine but Linda rolled up with a big goat head hanging out of the side of her tire. The whssh of air told us we'd be changing a flat but she opted to ride the two miles home. She had to quite early anyway.

Helen also had a prominent goat head which also gave us a satisfying whssh. I changed that flat and we were off.

Someewhere on Critchfield Bill decided that extra sponginess in his ride neeed some attention. He stopped and gave me a call. "My spare tube's shrader," he said. "I'll meet you somewhere on the way up Asotin Creek," he said.

"I can bring you a tube," I offered, "but it'll likely take me five minutes to get it to you." He figured he'd have his tube nearly patched by then.

Bur Gary said he'd go back and so the two of us climbed Critchfield to find Bill still fiddling with his tube. I gave him a presta tube and just as we were ready to start rolling again, I noticed my rear tire had softened. Not certain that it wasn't just lost air, I pumped it upu and we set out to catch the group.

I needed to refill that tube at Asotin and again at the end of the pavement. Air seemed to be escaping faster. Another pump-up at the Y and finally a new tube (I carry two) at the park and I was good to the boat launch.

I ride Evans nearly every day and haven't had a flat for months. Suddenly we managed five in one day.

Brother can you spare a tube?

Corrie, Doug, & I checked out the Weiser River Trail in the fall of ‘07 riding from New Meadows to Council, Idaho and back, and gave it our recommendation Weiser River 07. The fall colors had been great, so in ‘08 we went for bicycling the entire trail, but of all the TRCer’s interested, none showed up. Three of us National Guardsmen did most of the ride until a puncture weed episode stopped the ride near Midvale Weiser River 08. We had a great time, and immediately planned doing the entire ride with the fall colors of ‘09 though we had to sacrifice the LT’s company to helicopter flight school. Several Twin Rivers Cyclists again expressed interest for the ‘09 ride, but none showed up. This year Chief Winn has dropped to his fighting weight and between that and his regular mountain biking, he’s confident he’ll be able to do the entire route, so we made no provision for ending the ride before Weiser as we had done last year.

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Last year Sam, my regular CO buddy, and I weren’t quick enough to get registered for Cycle Oregon. This year we agreed would be different. I had pre-approval from my boss and since CO inevitably starts on drill weekend, approval from my drill boss. I researched the announced route, reconfirmed my vacation approvals, and on day 3 found registration was full. As usual, Lucky Sam got in! The more I researched the route, the more I wanted to do it. I decided to do the route self supported if I could find a companion, so I sent out e-mail invites to my more adventurous cycling buddies agreeing to go self supported or on a credit card tour (motels and restaurants) whichever they preferred. Doug agreed to go if we could turn the 7 day event into 4 days and add a day to circle Crater Lake. Since the official route was a sort of figure 8 with a small top, we could do the lower loop, eliminate the top loop, and combine portions of days 5, 6, & 7 into our somewhat lengthy day 4. We decided to camp but eat out. Our only difference was Doug said he could live without daily showers, and I strongly wanted a daily shower, swim, or a garden hose rinse.

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I've posted the pics that Dave sent me. Thansks to Leanne for documenting our 2009 trip. There are a few of mine from Sunday morning at the lake included.

Leanne and Corrie's Joseph 2009 pics