Ship's Log...
We've made camp in a field just off hwy 17 in the heart of the village of Shabaqua, ON (76 kms NW of Thunder Bay). Thanks to the Can-Op motel owner for letting us pitch our tents for free. We're settled in peaceful meadow - if it wasn't for the sound of transport trucks passing 30 metres away through the night. Hey, at least there's no trains.
Unbelievable success today. The EcoRocket is back on the road! With the kind help of a local trapper, Rick, who re-threaded (tapped) the derailer attachment hole in the frame, I was able to reassemble the gear system and get us underway. Sure, it's only one gear, but it'll do (we push it up the hills). Thanks also to Maggie and Elizabeth for a sumptuous sendoff brunch which included yesterday's pickerel catch. Only goes to show, kids, break down a problem into its smallest parts and figure out how to fix them one at a time. We have 27 gears and we're gonna ride the 21st (blackjack) gear all the way to a Thunder Bay bike repair shop. I just hope it all holds together for another two days.
A new derailer's in order as well as possibly new front and back chain - got a sense that they're both pretty much pooched). The infamous rear wheel has become hideously oblong which makes for a very bouncy ride. Those spokes will be the end of me, at least. I'd like to get one of those wheels without spokes if possible. Y'know those five spoke aluminum wheels or something.
I see that spoked rear wheel in my nightmares now. It's always the same... The Wheel with bent and broken spokes - 50 metres high - rolls after me as I run down a lonely country road at night. Always getting closer and closer to me as it tries to squish me flat. Just as it's about to run me over I wake up in a cold sweat, hitting my head on the roof of my tent - too scared to scream....
O, if only the cycle gods could hear of my suffering and with their awesome powers bring me a rear wheel that doesn't breakdown every 800 kms! And while you're at it, O great and all powerful cycle gods, may our chosen Thunder Bay cycle shop have a non-plastic, rugged derailer in stock to fit the EcoRocket that won't smash to pieces with the first stray rock!
Tomorrow we hope to camp at Kakabeka Falls Provincial park (36 km).
End Ship's Log entry....
-- Major Dude
Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network
No comments:
Post a Comment