Some Days You Can't Win...

One of the things we have been trying to do for the last several years is to use our bicycling for actual transportation to and from a destination, rather than just for recreation. Our living in Swissvale actually works out pretty well for this, because it is an easy ride to get to the Squirrel Hill shopping district. Once the powers-that-be finally finish the work on the Rankin Bridge, hopefully we will be able to resume our bike trips to the Waterfront shopping complex.

One of the ways we have been using the bike for this is to take KJ to his Friendship Circle get-togethers. Friendship Circle is a youth program for special-needs kids and their typical peers. KJ loves attending it, and fortunately for us, it is based in Squirrel Hill. So I've taken him there on the tandem, and then we've ridden home after things are over. We get our riding in, plus we don't have to worry about having the car available. We've done it twice before, and today was supposed to be an end-of-summer picnic at Schenley Park to close things out.

When doing something like this, it is always important to factor the extra transportation time required (compared to driving) into your schedule. We left the house at 4:45, and the picnic started at 6, so we had plenty of time to get to Schenley Park. Unfortunately today we had problems getting there. The rear tire (with a self-sealing slime-filled tube) suddenly decided to develop a leak, apparently through the valve stem. After re-inflating the tire a couple of times (and only getting about 1/2 mile each time), I decided to change the tube and install our spare. With our current tires this is a quick and painless process. Unfortunately, the spare tube decided that it wasn't going to hold any air either. And I didn't have a patch kit with me...

Our schedule was down the toilet. We were running out of options, and KJ was anxious to get to Friendship Circle. I called my wife, and fortunately she had just gotten home with our younger son. She ended up driving up to where we were stuck (on Forbes Avenue, near the entrance to Homewood Cemetery) so we could get KJ to the picnic. We then walked the bike back home (we normally don't leave the DraftMaster bike rack on the car, it is just too big!). Everything worked out in the end, although KJ was upset that we didn't bike to the picnic.

I haven't had a chance yet to figure out what is going on with our inner tubes, so I will post a follow-up article in a couple of days to let you know what I find out.