Instead of a gym workout this Friday nite, I had two propitious developments occur today that, in the interest of momentum, I feel much compelled to tell you about. To begin, I spoke with Jim Spillane this evenig, and after he spoke with his dad, they both came to the conclusion that the Eagle I am riding is likely totaled for the purposes of a coast to coast ride. This is so because for the force of the collision to have pulled spokes out of the rim, means that the hub likely suffered damage as well. And just the disassembly and reassembly so it can be inspected could put the price tag for that inspection alone, with all the shipping and labor involved, at very near 1000 dollars. And that is before the wheel or the bike even gets rebuilt. Ugh......
He does have a replica Eagle he will reluctantly sell for almost $9,000, but will insurance pay that amount, and then how fast the bike can get here is unknown. And even if they only want to repair the broken one, we're talking at least a month before I am back on the road again. As a band aid fix, Jim exhorted me to get a few guys together and use brute strength to straighten it.
Well at 240 lbs, Don with his massive might, was all I needed to make the wheel look like a wheel again. We used the blocks of wood, Don instinctively pulled out from behind one of his giant tool boxes to anchor the wheel as he applied force. Jim had suggested that we do so, but Don had not known this. He just did what he does best - let his intuition solve the many problems he so expertly solves day in and day out.......
Twenty or so minutes later and I had a wheel that now Jeff Kistler thinks he can work with. While I don't think I want to roll off 6 to 12,000 foot mountain passes with it, I may soon have a machine I can at least train locally on!! This as I reinvent the buzz for our ride that was starting to take place around here. Big whoaaaa!
And then as I reveled in all the what ifs of being back on Eagle again, Lynn Lepage called me at probably 8 in the PM. Still at work in the city of Folsom, where he is a high power recreation manager, he and I had a lot to talk about. In fact, we hadn't spoken in probably almost a year because, unbeknownst to me, he had lost my phone number. I had sent him lots of email but forgot that he had a deformed hand that kept him from replying to any of the stuff he had been seeing. I just figured he was consumed by other stuff It wasn't until we neared his precious (and rightfully so) American River Parkway http://www.arpps.org that he got one of his secretaries to let me know that he applauded my progress and that the Friends of the Folsom River Parkway were not only going to receive our ride with gusto but that they were going to donate $500 to our effort.
I told Lynne that I would like to use that money now as a down payment on the trailer that Shawn Raymond found for our Busycle!! And instead of presenting it to me when we arrive, he thinks he can get it to us right away so we can haul the Busycle to Sacramento for their amazing Bike to Work Day event at the State Capitol on May 20. We can also get our bus/Busycle to the Maker Faire at the San Mateo fairgrounds on 5/22-23. And as we do, we will be able to put our operation through the crucially needed shakedown cruises that are much required before we set off for Boston......
In addition, the tow hitch came in yesterday!! Who can come over here to Park Automotive and help me install it??
THX 4 all of U!!
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