Today's travel:

Morning commute: 13.6 miles, .3 hours, 37.9 mpg.

Evening commute: 13.3 miles, .4 hours, 34.6 mpg.

Bike from home to Parkville-Carney Library: 4.488 miles, 20:43 minutes, 13.0 mph average.

A mile or so out, I felt like my back tire was going a little soft so I stopped in a parking lot to pump it up. I got it back up to 55 lbs pressure, then did the same to the front tire. As I pulled the pump off the Presta valve, the valve stem burst out and the tire went from 55 lbs pressure to zero in the course of about half a second. Luckily I had a spare tube in my bag and changed it there in the lot in about five minutes while a young gal sitting outside in the garden department looked on with amusement.

I have never had that happen in my life with a Schrader valve on any bike or car I've ever owned. Just another point of proof towards Ben's theory that they're completely an invention of the bike pump companies and have absolutely no advantage as a practical valve style.

The ride up Harford Road was crazy. The northbound travel side has construction all along it so in spite of the fact that there is a nominal bike lane along at least half of the trip up to the library, its so filled with potholes, 3 inch ridges and dips that staying inside the two foot lines is basically impossible. The ride back southbound was nicer, even if the traffic was a little more aggressive.

Picked up Driven to Distraction by Hallowell and Ratey, and Scattered Minds by Adler on the advice of my doctor. Stay tuned for a review of both in a few days.

No Comments | #6671

Unless noted, all content on epistolary.org is © Copyright 1999-2008 to Rob Carlson with all rights reserved. All information is verified when possible, cited as appropriate and applied in the real world at your own risk. Send all feedback to rob@vees.net.