It finally happened!

It finally happened!

After putting 20,000+ km on my Argon18 steed since I purchased it, and more importantly my Hunt wheel set, I recently discovered that I had broken my rear rim, actually pulling 2 spokes out of the metal. I noticed about a week ago that my rear tire little wobble had advanced to a bike-inspired version of the Charleston, and I guessed with 20/20 hindsight that it was the compromised metal of the rim that was the culprit. I enjoyed a social ride with 2 buds this weekend passed and we discovered the spokes had ripped completely out of the rim when we got back to my RAV.

As you may recall, I went out for a big ride Tuesday last, and was inflicted with a rear flat coming back to the beach along the Simcoe Rail Trail, just south of Anten Mills, thanks to a wayward nail buried in the freshly resurfaced trail. It was soon after fixing the flat and getting back on the trail that I noticed the shimmy was dangerously close to the support frame making the slog through the newly regraded surfacing of the trail tough work. Showing my naivety, I reasoned that the weather gift from Ma Nature was far too valuable to waste, so I kept riding despite the pronounced shimmy, bolstered by assurances that subsequent rides would not harm my gears or frame. I was warned, however, that it could most definitely result in popping a couple of spokes, requiring a rescue run from Joyce. 

Well worth it, I reasoned.

As I mentioned, when my friends Hardy, Roelie and I returned to the parking lot, the deed was discovered as metallic shards were folded back like petals of a rose, barely containing the head of two spokes. Hardy, with all of his bike mechanic knowledge, assured me that my days of riding that particular wheel were over. Yesterday's activities included a trip to Barrie's Bikeland, the only bike shop I like that had operating hours on Mondays, where a knowledgable youngster named Chris offered a couple of solutions to make haste of my dilemma. My cycling itch was calmed with the purchase of a new rear rim that is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday or Thursday, and Chris has kept my old rigging to make for a quick set-up and swap when it arrives. All in all, only a few days out of the saddle ... of my Dark Matter that is, because you know I'll do a couple of sessions on the indoor trainer.

All of this has provoked a view of my year's stats on Strava. 

For those not in the know, Strava is a multi-tiered app that is the choice of many cyclists for tracking their training/riding. Using either the free version or the data-hungry driven paid version, the cycling community uses Strava like a trail Facebook for sharing routes, tracking KOM's (King of the Mountains), and posting segments. Being inherently frugal ... cheap ... I have opted for the free version and despite leaving a host of metrics on the table, have enjoyed perusing the available data's intoxicating lure. According to the app, I have traversed 20,855 km on my trusty Dark Matter since I first embraced cycling as a viable alternative to running following a meniscus mishap in March 2020, coincidentally the beginning of the Covid Pandemic. The first of my 29,357 all time km's were thanks to the combination of my old Legacy Compass mountain bike and Davinci Democles road bike, but the transition to the Argon18 Dark Matter gravel stallion threw the barn doors wide open to to exploration of the wonders around me, be it Simcoe County, Florida, or Guelph area.

All time, I have amassed 550 rides for the aforementioned 29,357 km's with 206,183 m climbing during my 1134 h of riding. This year I feel I have truly embraced the Bike Life with over the 420 h, resulting in 11,032 km and 2 m shy of 65,000 m climbing. That may all sound bewildering to you, but to me it represents a complete investment in myself and my health. I've written about Kevin Simms in other posts, and his role in starting me down this cycling path, and every time I am faced with raised eyebrow of incredulity, I am reminded of his words, 

"We ride to stay healthy enough that our wives won't have to wipe our bottoms when we're old and grey." For that, my darling Joyce, you are most welcome!

I would be remiss if I didn't also give credit to fellow cycling enthusiasts Hardy Wind and Jay Rothenburg, equally responsible for stoking the biking fire and being willing compatriots on so many of those wondrous social rides. It behooves me to also mention my SYGA (Simcoe York Gravel Association) riding mates for including me in their regular assaults of gravelly terrain in and around Simcoe and York regions.

Some might feel the pang of disappointment when they wear out their machinery. I choose to wear it like a medal of honour, a symbolic talisman of dogged determination and lactate-infused perseverance. The bulk of those 1100+ hours of riding have been in the company of me, myself and I as I contemplated my way through life's peaks and valleys, cycling tunes quietly caressing my eardrums, all the while bursting with gratitude for the wondrous sights I would never have experienced behind the wheel of my Tacoma or RAV. Plus, it's no secret that all this riding allows me to justify visiting the region's best bakes shops!

In no way, shape or form do I compare myself with the fictional Forest Gump, but I completely relate to the portion of his story during which, "He waas runningggg!" 

#lifeisgood #bikelife #retirementlife #livinginthemoment