Rough day--half over!

Well, this morning's commute was on the rough side.

Took my TCR for a faster ride since I'm being slowly beaten down by the increased distance this week. Of course, the rear tire went flat at mile 14. I was already using the spare tube and had no patch kit with me. Normally I carry a patch kit and a spare tube, but alas.... I got to walk the three and a half remaining miles to work, though I did ride a bit on the flat tire because I really didn't want to be that late for work.

Luckily once I got to work I found someone to drive me to Performance over lunch to get a new tube--I bought four, one of which is now keeping air in the tire. I also bought aTopeak Road Morph pump in case I have problems on the way home, due to using both of my CO2 cartridges in an attempt to make it a short distance on my punctured tire. If I don't need to use it today, I will return it this weekend, since I can just start carrying CO2 again if I need to inflate something.

Yesterday the ride home was killer, pulling the laundry-filled trailer home. I put it on the bathroom scale upon arrival, and it was just over 40lbs, so that gives a workout on the 9% grade on Kemp road. I used my lowest granny gear for the first time yesterday.

I got a few pictures, a couple of them came out OK, so here's where I rode yesterday:



The view out my front door. Yay, pool.



I love that there's a 10 ton limit on the bridge on the bike path. Are they hinting that I really need to lose weight?



My bike in its customary parking spot. Not super secure I admit, but this area has a very low probability of theft. That's also where everyone goes to smoke. Ugh.



I just love this view. It might be better if there were no houses, true, but it's a nice little slice of seemingly happy suburbia.



The same spot, but looking ahead. I have a crappy bike path!



Wait, I don't have a crappy bike path any more.



I couldn't shake this guy until nightfall. He was tenacious



Oh how I love going up this hill pulling a 40 pound trailer on a 30 pound bike with a 6 pound pannier. Really, I do.



Many miles later, a father and son on the bike path. Sun soon to set. Legs tired.




I'm just hoping to make it home today without any mechanical issues. That would make me very happy.