Stella's First Flat Tire :(

Ok, I hesitate to tell the REAL story, because I’m afraid it will sound like ‘This one time, at band camp … ‘ … but, I believe in telling the truth.

So – it’s a beautiful day here in OP – and Stella, she wanted to go for a ride – just a short one, a quick one, around campus just a few blocks away, and back in time for our conference call (Stella is my road bike) … I had to take her out, she gets pouty if I don’t blow the dust off of her every once in a while.

Anywho … what SHOULD have been a quick 30 minute ride, turned into a 1 /2 hour adventure … because … Stella threw a shoe … or, caught a flat, or, has an owwie, however you want to put it.  I had the tools needed to change the flat, and pretty sure I could do it, but, had no pump to air her tire back up if I had changed it, so Stella and I walked it back in – 2 miles or so … she cried a little thinking she had let me down, and I assured her that no, it was I who had let her down – not being prepared to care for any issue that may arise.

Lessons learned:

1.       Tell someone where you’re going before you leave.

2.       Have ALLLL of the tools you need (including pump/CO2 cartridge) for on-the-road repairs.

3.       TAKE YOUR PHONE no matter what (tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk).

4.       Remember this event and how uncomfortable it was to walk 2 miles in cycling shoes and I bet you won’t let it happen again.

My co-workers really do care about me (called trying to find me --- missed calls because the phone was IN MY LOCKER IN THE GYM … tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk.)