Notorious crank? Monday was bloody brilliant. The weather was really good and I had planned to go out for some three hours on my road bike. Sounds like a plan, but things ain't that simple always. It was all good until three I had ridden for five minutes – somehow the jockey wheel had dried and got stuck. U-turn and back home to fix it. Alright then, I'll try again and five minutes into the new start I notice that, yes, I have forgotten my bottle to kitchen table.
Frustrated I was, but I came back home to collect the water bottle. Then I decided that I'll have one more go today and if it sucks I'll have a rest day. Not that I was hoping to have one though. Off I went, again. I passed the five minute mark flying this time, took tight right and the first hill of the day was there. I haven't felt that good on my road bike for ages. I just rolled it up and kept going. New route, new sceneries, new feeling – could be worse. I just hadn't taken all the possible faults into consideration. Yes, I had spare tube, allen keys and all the small stuff. But at times the dude up there somewhere decides to play unfair and this was one of those days.
I had been riding just a tad over a hour as I thought about the day: ”How can such a bad day turn into brilliant one in just a minute?” Don't think too far, you idiot. I took a smaller road to countryside, bit bumpy one but still very much alright. I didn't quite know where I was going anymore and I came to a crossing; Llanvairrir kilkölikll to left and something else to the right. Well, the right sounded well good and I started again, but only for two strokes. My left feet felt weird and I thought: ”Jeez, there goes the cleat!” How wrong I was, with my guess about such a minor problem? Terribly wrong! It was quite and unforgettable feeling to notice that the pedal threads from the left crank arm were screwed totally. There I was somewhere some 30 odd kilos from home with one working crank. The good day turned to I nightmare in a second, but I was used to it from Christmas time.
I tried to get help as I found a construction site, but they didn't have allen keys!? Thanks anyway mate, you did your best to find one. Then I found a house in which lived really nice and helpful older couple. As said they were so nice, but didn't quite get my problem. I wasn't ill or anything. So I passed that house and found a sign to post office. I went there, but I think that everyone can guess the answer. Yes, it as closed and moved out earlier this year. I still rolled around the village called Llanover. It had couple houses and huge graveyard, I felt that quite funny at that time. So I wandered around looking for a pub or anything I could get to know where I am and what's the best option to get home. I found bus stop, but next bus would have left in two or three hours. Well good.
After a while I just decided to start walking towards home and other (dead?) villages with my cycling shoes on. That's not the best shoe for a unknown distance walk, is it? But now I want to refer to my earlier post considering the relationship between good and bad luck. Let's call it 'Do I believe that good luck follows bad luck? Vol. 2'. Back then I wasn't quite sure yet, but now I definetly am and for a reason. I had walked a mile or so when a Nissan Micra turned stopped and a nice lady offered me a lift to somewhere closer Caerleon and quickly added that she'll take me home anyway. How nice was that from her. I'm only too grateful, thanks Rach, you saved my day.
At home I started to see if can get spare parts and remove the crank I couldn't do it myself. It only took three guys and one feet long hex wrench to be removed. But that's another story...
(c) Anton Aro
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