Buffalo, Victoria, Australia
Town park on the Great Southern Rail Trail
I can't change gears smoothly! New chain and rear cassette in Wellington, NZ, but it keeps skipping and slipping. So frustrating. I've moved on to Warmshowers hosts in Cranbourne, Mike and Heather, and Mike's offered to see if he can help. Thanks, big time! I also use the wonders of the internet, whether it be googling the problem or emailing my bike mechanic in the States. A big shout out to Peter Stull of The Bicycleman in Alfred Station New York!!! All things recumbent, he is. And chatting with him that night he suggested that the chain may be too long or the derailleur sprung. Ok. We can figure this out. Mike with his bike repair books and me with Google are sitting on his garage floor determining proper chain length and how to actually shorten a chain.
A couple of hours later, job done...but now I have to stay another night. Poor me. More delicious home-cooking by Heather and sharing of stories of their 18 month bike ride from Australia to Ireland, via Beijing, China. Does it get any better?
Seems to be working better when I ride around the block, so I take off in the morning.
Pedal. Pedal. Pedal. Not great but functioning. Stop for the night on the side of the road.
And folks stop by: Sue and her dingo dog. And doesn't her dog per on my food bag?!?!? So Sue takes the wet bag and drives down to a neighbors to wash it for me. Then she and the neighbor walk back.
Argh!!!
I had just written a long extension of the continuing story to this and when I went to save it, didn't the app close and it didn't save. I don't have patience for this. I'm way behind in writing and then having to write it up twice just ain't happening now. So I'm going to be further behind. So I'll be brief, less detail than I wrote before. Sorry.
Did have a visit from the cops while the girls were there. Said I was okay.
Long story short, derailleur failed me the next day. Manually shifting in rear on hills. (Getting off, running around, moving chain to large sprocket...reverse on hill top.). Don't know what's wrong. In rural area. Can't find bike shop. Keep moving forward. Meet a local triker (upright, rear wheels) in town and she hooks me up with Harry and Liz who let me camp on their lawn while Harry spent hours trying to first fix the replace derailleur with one from his bikes. To no avail.
Next day I played on the farm with Liz
and also picked up new derailleur in town which Harry mounted then gave me a lift to the next farm where I was expected.
So grateful to all the help I got getting out of Melbourne!
Livin' the life,
BagLady
Facebook: Kathryn Mossbrook Zimmerman
