2011 SMR 21

Yesterday it was so cool and windy that I joked we'd need tights for this morning's ride.  Wasn't far off, but I toughed it out with regular shorts and jersey.

JB got to the Gate shortly after me  - he brought his winter jacket but packed it away for the ride.

Wildlife Encounter:  a cute bunny with a cotton tail... looked like he was just waiting for something to catch and eat him.

Near Son of Chainbuster a guy coming down asked us if we had seen a penny farthing coming up... nope; pretty sure I'd remember that.  Wondered what the deal was though.

At the Junction there was a guy with this cool helmet;

Then I checked my phone for the results of today/s Tour stage and everyone told me not to say.

JB wanted to stay at the Junction a while longer so I went down alone and met the penny farthing guy at the top of the Bump!

He said he got it from Ridable Replicas in Alameda.  Neat bike; 48" wheel.  Boy, I don't see anything resembling a brake on that thing... do you?  Usually on these bikes there was a spoon/shoe under the fork crown that you would press down onto the tire but this one appears to lack it.

What's in YOUR saddle bag?

• Two tubes in a sock with baby powder
• Tire levers
• Multi tool
• Inflator and three CO2 carts
• Chain master link
• Glueless patches

A couple weeks ago I had a flat and broke two of those blue levers trying to get the tire off.  Went to SportsBasement to get some metal ones and the guy recommended against them and said "no way" would I break these Pedro's levers... so I bought em... I suspect he was right.  Anyway - blue Park levers suck, orange Pedro's levers rock (also come in pink, yellow, and green).

Also, it was the first time I'd used my new "threaded cart only" inflator, and I didn't realize that you have to screw the cart into the head by hand - on my old one you just screwed the head onto the body and it punctured the seal.  Took me a while to figure it out but it's actually a pretty slick connection.