I'm Just Gonna Walk

This has not been a good week for me, transporation wise, faithful readers. First of all, I'm pretty sure that the BMW needs a new alternator. It was dead on Thursday evening, and after the AAA Rescue Ranger came to try and jump the battery for me, we've determined that it's the alternator causing it to go dead. But surprisingly enough, that has not bothered me nearly as bad as the two bike breakdowns I've had in just three days. Yep, you read that right. Thursday after I discovered the BMW wouldn't start, I took my frustrations out during my nightly ride, only to have a flat tire (which was the second flat in two weeks, too) and was forced to walk the bike the last two miles of my ride. So I got the bike back yesterday after work and last night's ride was great - the weather was perfect, and I was really looking forward to my usual Saturday long ride.

Things were going great until I stopped for a water break and as soon as I got back on the bike and started pedaling, I noticed I wasn't moving. Something had happened with the gear sprocket and I was stranded again. Unfortunately, I was back on a part of the bike path that is nowhere near an actual road where a car or truck could have come to haul me back home. So once again, just like Thursday night, I started walking the bike back to civilization. I walked until I got about a quarter of a mile from Fat Man's Bar and Grill, which is about a quarter of a mile from the VFW post, and called the post and asked the bartender if she would send someone there with a truck to come and haul me home. Now, you might ask yourself "Puddin, why didn't you call the 'Rents and ask them to come get you?" Good question, but not practical; they were in the back field hauling and stacking wood. Luckily one of the Veterans at the post had just walked in the door, and the bartender asked if he would come and haul me back home, which he was more than happy to do. I had him put the bartender back on the phone and I told her to run him a tab today and that I would come by later this afternoon to pay it; it was the least I could do.

So I got home and as I said before I'm more disgusted with the bike problems than I am over facing a $$$ BMW repair bill. Maybe these are signs that I should just walk instead of ride, drive, or pedal.