Last Weekend Rides

Zwartehond and the wind turbine

I should probably get around to documenting these things when the weekend is still occuring.  Last weekend was enjoyable. My old-timey seatpost pillar and Brooks B.72 arrived, just in time to get Zwartehond out for a charity ride, most of the ways down to the end of the Cedar RiverHoover whatsit trail.  Zwartehond got quite a bit of attention, I also thought that the days of wine and roses were over, when the Nexus 8 hub started to act erratically. It just spun in third gear, and seemed to centrifugally clutch out of first into something like 6th.  At the turn-around control which happened to be a pub, I opened the chaincase and tried to remember anything relevant about the Nexus8 settings. Everything looked normal, but then, I had never read the service manual.  

As I departed, full of dread about having to bike with a failing gear system  20 something miles back to town and then home, I noticed the shifter-  the cable had bounced 3cm or so out of the adjusting barrel. I re-secured it, and everything started operating fine.  Seems like the shifter could be a little more durable. I should research if there are more austere metally ones- yes, that's right, I'm jealous of those old Sturmey Archer 3speed hub shifters.

Also, I really haven't been consuming alcohol much at all lately. So when I got to the control/Pub and had a pint and a half of Guiness, I expected to end up a little too buzzed to immediately return to bicycling. Nope. It bounced right off me.  I'm still not sure how that happened. Mind you, I'm still a neophyte when it comes to this cycling and drinking thing.  I'll confess, the fervent behavior of roadies and RAGBRAI clubs for alcohol is distressing to me.  I've had friends and family with drinking problems, and I guess I'm a little soured on it all. 

Lots and Lots of Bikes Actually!

I had a leisurely ride back to town, and had a little lunch at the Parlor City pub. Then a leisurely bike back north. I detoured to see if a biking enthusiast friend was at his house, but he was out. Ah well, just more miles. :)