On to the Boardwalk and points south!
Greetings from Asbury Park
It is raining, windy and cold.
But tomorrow is supposed to be nice, so there you go. Baby, we were born to ride!
Uh-oh
Well, drat.
I was hoping I could make it all the way to Key West without a major tire issue. Today I had a major tire issue.
It actually started yesterday, as I was noticing an “out of round” sensation from the rear wheel. I was by that time deep into New York City’s borough of Queens late in the day and, after a quick check for broken spokes and not finding any, I continued on, figuring I could sort the situation out this morning. At that time I did not spot any issue with the rear tire.
Unbeknownst to me, I had at some point during yesterday’s ride in from mid-way across Long Island, broken sidewall cords in that tire. What I was probably feeling was a soft spot as the wheel rolled around over that point on the tire. In all likelihood nothing was even visible. I made it across Manhattan, met a friend, then onto the Hudson River ferry over to Hoboken, New Jersey, where I spent the night with my daughter’s in laws.
A casual look at the tire this morning quickly disclosed the problem. I am, frankly, amazed that the tire was able to withstand about 20 miles/32 km of continued loaded riding, and especially over the city’s uneven streets, in that badly damaged a condition.
So it’s off to a local bike shop for some emergency maintenance and repair. More on this situation as it develops.
If it’s Saturday…
I must be in
New Jersey!
Wow! Seven states so far. Half of the ultimate total. Around half of the total distance. And it’s all parking lot flat on the coastal plain from here to Key West.
Today’s Audiobook
I can’t believe it’s been almost 50 years since I read this. Great book.
Into the City
My route will take me into and across Manhattan today.
I’ll wind up, after meeting another friend and a ferry ride, in northern New Jersey at the home of my daughter’s inlaws. They are too kind in proposing to host a guy with a load of motel sink clean, but still pretty whiffy, bicycling duds in my panniers.
Oh, and I saw this at a diner yesterday.
Getting closer every day, eh?
Friends
It has been one of the big pleasures of the trip to be able to meet friends I’ve made on the Internet over the years as I travel near where they live. In Groton, Connecticut the other day I had a nice late afternoon snack at a Mexican restaurant with Nancy, who goes back with me in cyberspace somewhere near 10 years.
The notion that someone would take a bit of time out of their life to have a chat with me is really pretty gratifying. To myself, I’m just a guy on a long bike ride- doing something way less interesting by and large than the everyday lives of most folks I know. But somebody’s got to do it, I guess.
Thanks, Nancy, for a very enjoyable hour before I caught the ferry.
I’m falling a bit behind
I’ll wrap up my seventh week on the road today and I’m passing through places almost too fast to keep up.
First off, Providence, Rhode Island.
Some really nice waterfront biking.
Then there’s Connecticut
and New London, where I caught the ferry yesterday evening across Long Island Sound.
So here I am today, on Long Island
and
A Great Day for a Ride
Yesterday was one of the nicest ride days of the trip. I did a little over 60 miles/100 kilometers.
It wasn’t any particular thing that made it so nice- actually it was mostly cloudy and breezy for much of the day. But there were interesting bridges
long stretches of rail trail
and some nifty urban riding in Providence.
Then there was a great run down the coast opposite Newport to Point Judith, where I stayed last night at an excellent state campground. The Atlantic Ocean beaches were magnificent.
And I’ll admit it- I was bad. I rewarded my effort with a nice pizza.
We’ll see how that affects the next weigh-in.
Today I’ll continue along the coast into Connecticut, where I hope to have a late lunch with a friend in Groton. I’ll then catch a ferry in New London to Orient Point on Long Island. A busy day, but it’s sunny and the wind is with me this morning.
Weigh-in #14 – !!!
I stopped in the Newport, Rhode Island VA Clinic this morning and asked to be weighed.
…wait for it… …wait… …wait…
Sorry about the two part photos, but I have not yet figured out how to get a good single shot with my iPhone on one of these beam scales. The slightest jiggle and you are back at square one.
Oh, and did you notice I weigh three hundred AND SIX AND ONE-HALF POUNDS? I practically needed assistance getting off the scale after seeing that.
Diet and exercise, David. Diet and exercise.
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