Tow path 9 October 2008

[manuel6b2]

Meeting as usual tonight at 7 pm Civic Centre, Lisburn

For those who have not paid their deposit for the xmas dinner, please bring your money tonight. To date we have 36 deposits paid with 54 members indicating that they will be going.

See you there

[manuel6b2]

Around 5pm it was raining heavily and I guess those that might have come tonight thought twice about it. However, the "core" of the Thursday night tow path were out (Stewart, Alan, BL and me) and we started with a warm evening, no rain and little wind. Nice! Due to the rain earlier BL made the executive decision not to head for Giant's Ring and no one was complaining. We set off at a steady pace along the wet tow path meeting a few lights on bikes coming the other way. We crossed the bridge and headed for Belvoir.

All going well until Stewart said the immortal lines "It's a really great night isn't it...". Shortly after the heavens opened !!! I was leading the way through the forest (still trying to work out the route we take) when I felt the back wheel going soft. Within feet I was riding on the rims. We stopped to inspect the wheel. As it had been filled with latex last year I was hoping to see the latex coming through to fill the hole, however, the air was coming out at quite a pace through the slice on one of the knobbles (!). Stewart lend me his pump (much bigger than mine I need to add, more powerful ) and after inflation (nothing to do with the Bank of England) we tried pushing on but it wasn't long before I was rim riding again. We stopped again to use Stewarts big pump . I managed to get to one of the car parks then, under a street light, I flicked the bike over only to discover that the wheel was still inflated. We added a bit more air and pushed on once again. Again we had to stop, this time BL jumped in to use Stewart's big one! Great job. This kept me going until Shaw's bridge (we skipped Lagan Meadows as it was chucking it down and we had to keep stopping for me!). At the gate below the climb to Malone House Alan took a turn with Stewarts big pump. He again did a great job. We all tackled the climb up to Malone House with me in front and we pushed staight on through the forest. BL took over the lead at the running track and avoided the BMX track bit, returning to the tow path via the main path. The tire was still inflated sowe all headed back to Lisburn with Alan and Stewart leading after the narrow, metal bridge. The rain eased off but returned with a vengence further on. Stewart (and his big pump) pulled away at Hilden while BL and Alan were setting a cracking pace back to the Civic Centre. I rode just behind them and we all got back early (before 9) 20 mile done, 11.3 average.

It was a shame about the puncture but it made my heart feel good to have great support from my fellow club members as each took a turn at pumping up the wheel (apart from Stewart who just supplied the pump!). More of a 'team' feel tonight rather than a 'club'. Many thanks lads. After cleaning the bike I refilled the back tire with more latex. This should solve the problem.

NOTE TO ALL. IF YOU HAVE GONE TUBELESS, DON'T FORGET TO 'TOP UP' THE LATEX INSIDE THE WHEEL AT LEAST EVERY 6 MONTHS.

That is all. ;D