My Bike Sounds Funny

I pulled on my long tights and long-sleeve jersey this morning to protect me from the brutal sub-60 degree temperature out on the levee.  A clear sky meant the blinky light batteries would have a rest today, and even the wind, which had been strong and gusty the past couple of days, had settled down a bit.  A block from home The Daughter said something to the effect of, "My bike sounds funny."  As she pulled up alongside I could hear the unmistakable sound of a flat tire.  Not the best way to start the ride.  She's still riding the same tires that came with the bike seven years ago, although she's also probably put more miles on them in the last two months as she had in the last two years.  A pair of new ones that are a little more flexible are definitely in the cards. I had to get out the pocket knife to pry a stubborn tiny shard of something out of the tire, and after replacing the tube we finally got rolling again.  We were already late for the morning group, but I figured we'd turn around when we saw them coming back.  Out around the Country Club I noticed a Bald Eagle perched, as usual, on the highest dead branch around.  Since we were already late anyway, I stopped to take a photo even though he was a really long way away.  Mignon was coming the other way and stopped to chat for a while before we continued up the river. 

So with all the delays, we didn't even make it to Williams Blvd. before we saw the group coming toward us.  It was fine, though, because I hadn't taken any Advil or Aleve since Tuesday morning and the sore muscles in my upper back were already tight and painful. It was also good to have a little shelter for that long stretch that was more or less into the wind.

So the injury continues to heal very, very slowly.  The neck muscles are still sore enough that it hurts a bit to turn my head all the way to one side or the other, but even so, it's considerably better than it was a week ago. The muscles between my shoulder blades still tighten up and burn after fifteen or twenty minutes on the bike, and the only real relief is to drop my head, which would be fine except that I can't see where I'm going that way.  Sitting up also helps, although not as much as I thought it would.  I might take a shot at a long ride or two this weekend, but not without some pharmaceutical assistance.