Checks and Balances

So get this…on Memorial Day, Lady P and I loaded up our 29ers and headed down to our favorite trail, Aliso Woods for some not so epic riding. As we’re traveling down the freeway at 70mph, I hit a bump on the road, and then I look on my rear view and noticed Lady P’s bike fell off and was only hanging by the front wheel!!! I yelled like a school girl that just saw a spider and pulled over right away.

I rush to the back of our van, and quickly inspect her Airborne Hobgoblin 29er’s rear wheel. Whoa! Part of the tread was shaved off since it was dragging behind the van at 70mph. I inspected my mounting job and realized that I forgot to strap down the rear wheel…dork!

I get the bike mounted back on and Lady P is giving me the evil eye…Lucky for me her bike didn’t end up on the freeway and causing an accident. Phew! After we get riding, we felt so sluggish. I guess drinking the night before totally affects our athletic performance the following day, how do I know this? Because I totally sucked, I couldn’t climb squat. But as a consolation prize, Lady P got this photo of us. That’s my sexy mountain biker, seduction look. Is it working for ya?

The moral of the story is to have checks and balances. Lady P and I do quite a bit of riding together. Usually I’m the one loading up the bikes and gear. So we came to an agreement that the next time we ride, she will double check the bikes before we hit the road. It’s probably a good idea to have other people who might carpool with you to double check your mounting job.