September 1, 2008

The drive down to Captiva was very rainy. I guess the first bands of Gustav were to blame.

Yesterday was spent mostly inside watching the rain and watching Gustav motor by in the gulf. We were able to go out to the beach for the sunset, but it was hidden by clouds.

Today the weather was much better.

After breakfast I headed out for a bike ride. Last night when getting ready for the ride I couldn't pump my tires because I had broken the valve on both wheels. I decided to go ahead and change both tubes. After I changed the rear, I found out that my pump was broken and air was only coming out of the schrader stem side. In order to inflate the rear tire, I had to use my only CO2 cartridge. I was also unable to change the front tube. So, during today's ride, I stopped at the bike shop in Sanibel. We inflated the rear tube, but when we tried to inflate the front, the valve shot out and the tube was toast. I changed out the front tube with my spare, and when I went to inflate it, I had a pinch flat near the stem.

So, I had to buy a new tube (on IOU, didn't have enough cash and they didn't take AMEX). My new friend, Valde the bike mechanic from Lithuania, offered to change this tube for an additional $8. I think he was questioning my tire changing skills. He watched me and approved of my method. Fortunately, this tube inflated.

Now, with both tubes fully inflated to 110 psi and with valve stems, I completed my ride. A very nice ride except for the jerk in the Saab who pulled out of a driveway in front of me on the way home. In my mind, I was contemplating how I was going to hit his car and slide across the pavement. Thankfully, although I had the bike sideways and sliding, I was able to keep the rubber side down and get around him. That is about the closest I have come to wrecking with a car.

The rest of the day involved swimming in the pool, riding waves in the gulf on a kids tube, and working on the vacation jigsaw puzzle.

Tomorrow, more of the same except a 10-mile run in place of the ride (and hopefully no run-ins with a car) and one work-related conference call. Oh, and we'll be tracking Hanna as she heads for our home in Jacksonville. Yikes!

Enjoying the vacation!

Pix to be uploaded soon.