OUCH!

I took my new second-hand Avanti Ridge Rider bike for a workout on Friday on the Whangarei cycleway. I drove in to Onerahi which is about 20 minutes from home, parked up and set out down the hill on the shared cycle path.

I rode about 2 and a half kms until - disaster' a puncture!

The wind had come up and it was spitting a bit and threatening rain. I shouldered the bike and set off walking back along the way I came from, thinking that I wasn't really enjoying this exercise.
Fortunately, about a km along, before the uphill bit, a motorist stopped and asked if I wanted a lift. I readily accepted and we put the bike in the trailer he was towing and he drove me to my car. What a nice guy. These little random acts of kindness are good for an old curmudgeon's spirits.

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I loaded the bike in my car and drove down to town to find a bike repair shop. The beauty of living in Whangarei is that when I found the shop there was a carpark right outside. Wonderful. The bike repair joker complimented me on my antique bike. ANTIQUE!. I'd just bought it in Auckland a week ago and didn't think it was that old. He pointed out the tyres that were showing age and perishing. "Well I'm old and perishing" I thought but I keep going. He quoted a repair price and added that the other tyre might crap out as well. I told him to fit two new tyres and tubes and while he was at it to replace the 'hard as a rock' seat with something more comfortable. I will collect the bike next week.

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This little episode is likely to cost me over $200. Add this to the $400 I paid for the bike and basically I'm up to the price of a new Avanti Black Thunder bike (on special for $600).
What a bummer. I wish that I hadn't been in such a rush to buy the bike when I was in Auckland last weekend.

Sometimes I think it'd be great to have a time machine to go back and correct mistakes.