I put on my winter running gear, figuring that if it was warm enough to run in when it was in the minus somethings, it'd be warm enough on a brisk day with some windchill. And if not, well I could always come home and have a warm shower.
I knew my tires would need pumping since I hadn't been on my bike since Burning Man, so I brought down my tire gauge thing and my little hand pump. The pump is annoying at best (I find) and so when the gauge told me I was at 10 and I figured I had to get to... well, WAAAY more than that I knew I was in for some sweating and frustration.
But I couldn't get the pump to connect properly and I gave up on the back tire after about five minutes of trying. Did the same on the equally deflated front tire and gave up on that too. Was giving up entirely, sweaty and frustrated when I saw someone in the building had a floor type pump with a note on it that said anyone was welcome to use it. Awesome! That'd get the job done! Here I come sunny bike ride and future fitness!!!
Except I couldn't get that pump to sit properly on the knob thing either and after blowing air uselessly around, I thought I could at least get the front tire done... but no. Same thing. Couldn't get it to seal properly and by this point I'd been down there for probably fifteen minutes, maybe twenty and I was hot and sweaty and frustrated. Given up on being able to go for a ride. Figured I'd have to go buy a new bike pump to make it all easier. And then the pump wouldn't come off the front tire thing. I pulled and pulled and got increasingly frustrated until PSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHH..... I burst the entire front inner tube trying to get the pump off.
And that's when I started crying.
Those "I'm so frustrated this isn't fair" tears, right there in the middle of the bike locker of my building. All I'd wanted to do was get some exercise. I got all ready to go. I tried to go. I TRIED! I felt like the universe was testing me somehow... like one of those punching dolls that just pop back up when you hit them. And, well, as frustrated as I was, I was still going to get some damn exercise. I'd put the clothes on for it, that wasn't going to waste.
So I cried for a while, took my stuff back up to my place, cried some more. Sent some frustrated texts to Jason and C-Dawg and then went out for a walk. Screw you bad things. You can annoy me, but you can't stop me!
Ended up seeing a bald eagle, and someone swimming in the ocean (crazy!) and sat down at the water for a while.
I will have to get a new tube now, when I go get my new bike pump. And I may try to change the tube myself, although I'm aware that might end up with frustrated tears again.
But yeah, I just wanted to do something good for myself, but apparently that wasn't in the cards.
Sigh. Better luck next time?
2 comments:
Ah crap - if only I lived on the same side of the planet as you - I could have come round and fixed your bike in a few minutes.
To be honest, those little pumps are always a nightmare. I've broken more than one, locking them down onto the valves.
I haven't attempted the fix yet, scared I'll end up in tears again! ;)
Post a Comment