Mulit-Modal Ortho Commute

My daughter had an early morning orthodontist appointment this morning. So, like I’ve done before, I tossed the bike in the back, and drove to the appointment and then to school.

Sure, I could have driven back home and biked from there while using the same amount of gas, but I had three good reasons to use the school parking lot today:

• Riding from the school is a couple of miles farther from the office, so I get a little more time in the saddle
• Driving home first would have taken more time, and I was already well into the work day when I checked my daughter in at the school office
• I get to use a different route, which is a nice change of pace

So, I did it, and the rides there and back were both great.

There was one little bit of drama when my pannier bounced onto the pavement after I hit a pothole. Apparently, I didn’t have it hooked on correctly. I’ve never really been comfortable with the way it hangs there, but I don’t have a solution.

This was also the inaugural ride with the new tires and brakes. The wheels went round and the bike stopped when asked, but there was one problem. The rear wheel seems to be something other than round. It’s kind of like a subdued version of the clown bike where the axle is off center. I checked at the end of the ride, and it seems that there is something amiss with the rim. Another reason to visit the LBS.

Miles Ridden: 11.1