By the 40-mile morning rest stop in Willisburg, I was about ready to give up again, and my bike was making a strange creaking noise at times. Scott, our ever-present mechanic from Pedal Power was there to help. Meanwhile, I snacked on Clif Bars and Advil and rested.
A small screw on my brakes was stripped he said, and he didn't have the part to replace it with him. This was necessary to hold my back break on.
I ate a banana, drank some water, and let him tinker some more, half hoping a mechanical failure would be my excuse for not completing the day. Already, all but the slowest two riders had come and gone from the rest stop.
But dropping out was not my fate. A few minutes later Scott had jammed a wire cap perfectly into the stripped hole, and promised a full brake kit replacement that evening. He just happened to have parts for the exact model in stock.
So I was back on the road again now with no riders in sight ahead or behind me.
At least one hill was too much for my knee before I got to the lunch stop. I got off and walked the bike up it.
Read the complete tour journal.
