A bike ride mixed with frustration and lack of air.

My excitement woke up with me this morning and only mounted as I set out to plan the perfect bike route, with the help of Honey Bunches of Oats and Google Maps. I found a 44 mile (round trip) road bike trail just a measly 20 miles away from my apartment in Orlando, FL and started driving towards it with very high expectations and a whole lot of adrenaline.

Upon arriving at the trail head, I thought it would be a good idea to ask another bicyclist which direction would be best to take (since the trail head was in the middle of the 44 miles). I stopped a seasoned gentleman and after my inquiry, he asked if I was a good bike rider- "I'm alright," I said, with a wink. He told me which way to go and after saying thank you, I headed back over to my car to pump up my tires. As soon as I started pumping up my back tire, I heard a "PSSSSHHHHHHH!!!" I looked down and saw my tire, sinking down to the ground... matching the deflation of my high hopes for the day. The old man came over and asked if I had a tire kit, to which I replied that I had forgotten mine that day. I wasn't about to tell him that not only had I forgotten mine, I didn't even own one. I always thought I would be close enough to call a friend if I ever had trouble, and I'm a bit of a frugal person as well and haven't wanted to spend the money on one.

Off to the nearest bike store I went and about an hour later, I had a new tube in my bike (for 15 dollars). The bike mechanic asked if I wanted a tire kit for the next time a tube popped. I turned him down... after all- I had just gotten my tire fixed and there was no way my tire was popping again.

I found the "West Orange" trail head again and started off. The West Orange trail is something that I'd never seen before. It was about as large as a road, and paved, but it ran next to the road and sometimes split off into more scenic areas. It was pretty much just for road bikes. My energy just increased with each mile I rode, partially due to the energy pack I'd had just moments before starting off but either way, I was on cloud 8 or 9. The only bad thing that happened was that my sunglasses fell in a toilet around mile 10, there was no soap so I just put them back on and continued. The miles just kept flying by. I was on about mile 12 and figured I could go another 5 before turning around... coming out to 34 miles total!

"PPPPPPPSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" That sound scared me so bad, I almost couldn't get my clip-ons off in time and just about toppled over. Unfortunately, it was the sound of my back tire popping... again. I was so frustrated, I probably could have left my bike on the side of the road and walked the 12 miles back. This second popping episode posed a bit of a predicament for me, because ALL of my nursing friends were at work. The only other person that wasn't was not answering her phone. My options were: walk 12 miles back, or hitch hike. I was at a point in the trail where there was a stop sign for bikers, and a small car road that passed in front of it. I walked out to the front of it several times, to see if I wanted to attempt hitch-hiking. Just the thought of it sent pictures in my head of possible newspaper headings... "21 year old girl is said to be missing- she went on a bike ride by herself, without a tire kit, and hitch-hiked because of a flat tire. Authorities think a newly escaped convict picked her up..." or another heading: "Mother kills daughter after finding out she went hitch-hiking."

Regardless of the thoughts running through my head, I decided to hitch hike. Thankfully the two men who picked me up were firefighters and were married to nurses... not that that really meant much. They were also on a job at the moment and had to go 12 miles in the opposite direction of where I needed to go, so they dropped me off at the closest bike store.

Mistake #1- not having a tire kit, mistake #2- going by myself on a trail in the middle of nowhere in Florida, possible mistake #3- hitch hiking. AND #4- forgetting to bring my money.

At least I had remembered to bring my phone with me. My friend called back and agreed to come and get me... and pay for everything. While I was waiting for her, The nice people at the bike store chewed me out thoroughly for not having a tire kit and told me they hoped I'd learned my lesson...
Not 5 minutes after putting the bike in my friend's car, we heard "PSSSSHHHHHHH!!!" Back to the bike store I went for the 3rd time in one day. If you are in Orlando and you happen to see a Bianchi Imola road bike on the side of the road, you'll know what happened.

Anyway, the bike people were right... I have learned my lesson: don't go on a bike ride by yourself and don't go on a bike ride without a tire kit. I'll probably go for many more bike rides by myself, but as for the other issue, it's safe to say that I now own a tire kit.