Two flats and, all in all, an interesting day

[Ron Wallenfang]

This past Wednesday, I was biking to a Swedish reading group meeting
at UW-Milwaukee, going up the bike path from downtown and passing
under the Prospect Avenue bridge, where construction work was going
on, dropping miscellaneous debris on the path. My back tire collected
a 1 1/4 inch screw, which of course flatted the tire. I managed to
fix the problem, though getting the screw out presented a challenge to
my Swiss army knife. I went up to bitch at the boss for not keeping
the path swept clean, but learned there were 3 different contractors,
and gave up. Naturally, I missed the reading session.

Then 3 hours later, while headed home, I picked up a 3 inch nail
under the same bridge, which blew the tire - not just the tube - and
one of my $45 Schwalbe tires at that. I yelled with all the self-
righteousness of an offended politician at the crew members overhead,
and a few minutes later, while I was still stewing and trying to
decide what to do, a workman came down to sweep off the path - a
little too late for me. Another workman pointed out that there was a
bike shop within eyesight, which I didn't even know about, which
provided an opportunity to get a new tire. (I carry spare tubes and
tools to change them, but not an extra tire.) Wonder of wonders, a
couple minutes later the foreman came down, and said, "Let's go up to
the shop and get this taken care of". This from the painting
contractor, the least likely of the 3 to be guilty. So he glided and
I struggled up a steep irregular embankment, got to the shop and I
ended up with a new $45 quality Armadillo tire installed [it will give
me a good opportunity to compare an Armadillo's performance to the
Schwalbes I've been using the last couple of years], a new tube
installed, and another new tube to replace the one I lost earlier in
the day. The $62 was paid by the contractor, with whom I had a good
conversation about construction law (my field), painting bridges, the
MN bridge collapse and the bridges over the Mississippi, and bicycle
routes thereon. I've left out quite a number of embellishments, but
all in all, it was a most unusual day!

[[email protected]]

Ron Wallenfang > wrote:
> This past Wednesday, I was biking to a Swedish reading group meeting
> at UW-Milwaukee, going up the bike path from downtown and passing
> under the Prospect Avenue bridge, where construction work was going
> on, dropping miscellaneous debris on the path. My back tire collected
> a 1 1/4 inch screw, which of course flatted the tire. I managed to
> fix the problem, though getting the screw out presented a challenge to
> my Swiss army knife. I went up to bitch at the boss for not keeping
> the path swept clean, but learned there were 3 different contractors,
> and gave up. Naturally, I missed the reading session.

> Then 3 hours later, while headed home, I picked up a 3 inch nail
> under the same bridge, which blew the tire - not just the tube - and
> one of my $45 Schwalbe tires at that. I yelled with all the self-
> righteousness of an offended politician at the crew members overhead,
> and a few minutes later, while I was still stewing and trying to
> decide what to do, a workman came down to sweep off the path - a
> little too late for me. Another workman pointed out that there was a
> bike shop within eyesight, which I didn't even know about, which
> provided an opportunity to get a new tire. (I carry spare tubes and
> tools to change them, but not an extra tire.) Wonder of wonders, a
> couple minutes later the foreman came down, and said, "Let's go up to
> the shop and get this taken care of". This from the painting
> contractor, the least likely of the 3 to be guilty. So he glided and
> I struggled up a steep irregular embankment, got to the shop and I
> ended up with a new $45 quality Armadillo tire installed [it will give
> me a good opportunity to compare an Armadillo's performance to the
> Schwalbes I've been using the last couple of years], a new tube
> installed, and another new tube to replace the one I lost earlier in
> the day. The $62 was paid by the contractor, with whom I had a good
> conversation about construction law (my field), painting bridges, the
> MN bridge collapse and the bridges over the Mississippi, and bicycle
> routes thereon. I've left out quite a number of embellishments, but
> all in all, it was a most unusual day!

Kudos to the foreman for doing the right thing.
And how absolutely delicious that the guy (you) who got the flats in
this particular construction should happen to be a specialist in the
applicable legal field. Some day I hope to go on a ride with you, Ron.

Bill

__o | The people who cast the votes decide nothing.
_`\(,_ | The people who count the votes decide everything.
(_)/ (_) | - Joseph Stalin

[DennisTheBald]

Wow.

[Ron Wallenfang]

On Nov 1, 1:19*pm, wrote:
> Ron Wallenfang > wrote:
> > This past Wednesday, I was biking to a Swedish reading group meeting
> > at UW-Milwaukee, going up the bike path from downtown and passing
> > under the Prospect Avenue bridge, where construction work was going
> > on, dropping miscellaneous debris on the path. *My back tire collected
> > a 1 1/4 inch screw, which of course flatted the tire. *I managed to
> > fix the problem, though getting the screw out presented a challenge to
> > my Swiss army knife. *I went up to bitch at the boss for not keeping
> > the path swept clean, but learned there were 3 different contractors,
> > and gave up. Naturally, I missed the reading session.
> > *Then 3 hours later, while headed home, I picked up a 3 inch nail
> > under the same bridge, which blew the tire - not just the tube - and
> > one of my $45 Schwalbe tires at that. *I yelled with all the self-
> > righteousness of an offended politician at the crew members overhead,
> > and a few minutes later, while I was still stewing and trying to
> > decide what to do, a workman came down to sweep off the path - a
> > little too late for me. *Another workman pointed out that there was a
> > bike shop within eyesight, which I didn't even know about, which
> > provided an opportunity to get a new tire. *(I carry spare tubes and
> > tools to change them, but not an extra tire.) *Wonder of wonders, a
> > couple minutes later the foreman came down, and said, "Let's go up to
> > the shop and get this taken care of". *This from the painting
> > contractor, the least likely of the 3 to be guilty. *So he glided and
> > I struggled up a steep irregular embankment, got to the shop and I
> > ended up with a new $45 quality Armadillo tire installed [it will give
> > me a good opportunity to compare an Armadillo's performance to the
> > Schwalbes I've been using the last couple of years], a new tube
> > installed, and another new tube to replace the one I lost earlier in
> > the day. *The $62 was paid by the contractor, with whom I had a good
> > conversation about construction law (my field), painting bridges, the
> > MN bridge collapse and the bridges over the Mississippi, and bicycle
> > routes thereon. *I've left out quite a number of embellishments, but
> > all in all, it was a most unusual day!
>
> * *Kudos to the foreman for doing the right thing. *
> * *And how absolutely delicious that the guy (you) who got the flats in
> this particular construction should happen to be a specialist in the
> applicable legal field. *Some day I hope to go on a ride with you, Ron.
>
> Bill
>
> * *__o * | The people who cast the votes decide nothing.
> *_`\(,_ *| The people who count the votes decide everything.
> (_)/ (_) | * * * * * * * * * * * * * *- Joseph Stalin- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

How is your health coming??

[[email protected]]

Ron Wallenfang > wrote:
> On Nov 1, 1:19*pm, wrote:
> >
> > * *Kudos to the foreman for doing the right thing. *
> > * *And how absolutely delicious that the guy (you) who got the flats in
> > this particular construction should happen to be a specialist in the
> > applicable legal field. *Some day I hope to go on a ride with you, Ron.
> >

> How is your health coming??

I'm working out with the Olympic Team, and riding a bike. Well,
actually, I just go to therapy in the same building where the Olympic
skating team trains. And the bike is a stationary recumbent. But I
rode it two miles last session! I am walking with just a little help
from a cane. Beats the socks off that lousy walker. Still not back to
work, but maybe in another week or two. And I may not ride a real bike
until spring. But slow progress is still progress.
Thanks for your concern.


Bill


__o | Fear not the path of truth for the lack
_`\(,_ | of people walking on it.
(_)/ (_) | --Robert F. Kennedy