Should have listened to the leg...

Didn't do much yesterday, I have a minor injury to the back of my right leg. I believe I may have pulled my hamstring. It's definately not the good sore you get from a hard workout, it's the bad sore you get from an injury. This morning I wanted to commute by bike to work. As it turns out, this didn't go so well. I'm convinced now that I should have listened to the leg...

Problem number one. I spent about 20mins trying to cram things into my trunk bag and then get it to attach to the rack on my bike. I could not for the life of me get it fully zipped up or attached to the rack correctly. I ended up bungeeing it. Husband has a bigger bag and pannier racks. Next time I will try his out. If that works for me I'll get one of those and sell mine on ebay.
I was a little behind schedule when I took off toward work. About a half mile in, I realized that I forgot my badge. This is not good. I need to scan the badge to get into the fitness center (to shower and change). I also keep my bike lock key and my desk keys on my badge. So I had to turn around to pick up my badge. Drat.

Second time out, things were going pretty well until I got to the hill. There is a parking lot about half way up, just after the steepest part. I turn into to sometimes to take a water break. Today I couldn't make it that far before taking a rest. I know I can do it when I get back into the commuting habit, but not today.

Eventually made it in, showered & changed, rode the bike another mile or so from the fitness center to my parking spot (in street clothes now). I was a bit late getting into the office, but all was well.

That is, until the end of the day when I realized that I had a flat. The flat had been caused by a goat head (grrrrrr) and even though I had goo tubes in, it just wouldn't hold air so I needed to change the tube. No problem, except that I could not for the life of me find my tire irons (you may call them tire levers). How the heck do you get a tire on/off without them? I guess you don't. Time for plan B.

I called Son who just got his provisional license on Saturday. He was happy to get a chance to drive on his own to come rescue me. We got the bike loaded up in the SUV and then stopped to pick up extra set of tire irons on the way home. Of course, I found mine in my bag later. Go figure,. I guess it never hurts to have extras.

While fixing the flat in the comfort of my own home - which is much nicer than doing it on the side of the road - my cross necklace caught on my something on the bike and the chain broke. GASP!! Anyone who knows me well knows that I *ALWAYS* wear my cross. I never take it off. I just don't. And now the chain is broken. Sigh. It's a rather dainty chain and I neither Husband or I can fix it ourselves so I need to get it repaired at a jeweler and/or replace the chain. That was about enough to put me in tears.

Yeah. Pretty much a crappy day. And to think I did this to myself by deciding to commute by bike to work. Should have listened to the leg!!

I'd be out of character if I didn't at least try to find the positives in the situation. So here we go:

1) I got 8.1 miles of riding in today.
2) Son had the opportunity to put his new license to good use.
3) I now have extra tire irons.
4) Put a brand new goo tube in the front tire of my Giant. Should be good to go next time.
5) Had another chance to practice changing a tube. Apparently I need practice, because it took a long time.
6) I don't have to go a without my cross (whew!); I found a cheap chain in my jewelry box that I can use until I get the other one repaired or replaced.