...it.

 

Time for a new thread:  Worst biking weekend ever.

 

8 AM fast breakfast ride.  James Falcon, The Other James and I leave Mullins into a gloomy-looking morning.  Halfway up Whitesburg, my left crank feels kind of spongy.  I’m thinking worn out cleat or the pedal backing off.  The Eggbeaters I ride have both backed out of the crank or pulled the body from the spindle.  I look and wiggle and have serious suspicions.  I’m thinking about checking the cleat, but not before the cranks snaps off when I’m out of the saddle on Four Mile Post.

 

My superior crotch steering skills keep it off the deck long enough to one-leg-it to the next driveway.  Counting Barry Mathews and Tom Branch, this is the third left-side Ritchey WCS compact crank to give it up in town since 2006.

 

A cell phone call and I’m back at the house for a third cup of coffee.

 

It gets better.  I had signed up for a two-fer today with a mountain bike ride on Wade Mountain with Gracie R. and our pal Patrick.  I load the bike on the roof rack and head to the Land Trust Parking lot.  Pulling into the lot, I notice a cable lying across the entrance to the Land Trust lot.  I did not see, or it did not register that another one was hanging about six feet above the ground.  The roof rack separates with the bike and get slungshot 30 feet off the back of my car.  But not before poking a $1000 dent in my roof and hatch and severing the brake cable on the bike.

 

I'm pissed.  Gracie and Patrick roll up from having done a little pre-riding 'cause I was late.  They said that the cable was not there when they came in because her van would not have cleared it.  She says she saw Tommy Reagh and a bunch of bikers up on the trail.  She said that one of Tommy’s guys also flung a bike on that cable or another one hanging down.

 

A guy hiked off the trail and I asked him for some wire cutters.  He opens up his van to reveal an entire tool shop.  I snip the line which looks like a coax or fiber optic cable.  I'm sure Comcast or Knology is hearing something from someone who lost cable and internet at the end of Spraggins Hollow Road.  Too f**king bad.  That cable was blocking the lot and someone owes me a roof and a rack.

 

4.5 miles of riding, two bikes in the shop, trashed roof rack and a $1000 dent punched in the Yellow Car.

 

I’m staying in for the next few days, lest a safe falls on my head.

 

Top that.  The floor is open.

 

Morgan Andriulli

Vice President, Spring City Cycling Club

Board of Directors, Alabama Bicycle Coalition

256 536-7190

256 541-1095 (cell)

morganandriulli@...  

Huntsville, AL