The Flat
It should have been no object of frustration when the rear tire of the old Amsterdam city bike blew. I was on my way to work from home. Lunch and a can of diet coke in a plastic bag was wrapped around my handlebar. A black rain jacket was stuffed in the book rack in response to the intermittent dark clouds. I had covered half the way to work breathing clean air under the tree lined road. This stretch of Deerwood Park Blvd slopes down gradually and is always under shade making it the best part of my ride to work.
All of a sudden, the cushioned ride was gone and my butt could feel every slight bump. I promptly got off the bike and the brittle rear tire lay squished between the rims and the tarmac. All I could think of walking on my way to work was how unreliable this bike has become and that I should buy a newer city bike. The dormant consumerist inside me wanted to order the Biria Classic Dutch (I dont want to go broke on the Velorbis Churchill Balloon yet). Once home, I dismantled the rear wheel, which took a little while since a ton of hardware had to be removed. I will be buying two puntcure resistant tires for the bike and two tubes. I am making this road worthy. It was built for riding and it shall be ridden.