Velowander

Day 13: Lake Erie, PA to Geneva on the Lake, OH

(sorry still can't post pictures, hope to remedy soon)

It was quite pleasant waking up in Sara's campground on Lake Erie. Maggie awakened some time around 7 AM and we left without a regular breakfast at the campsite. We did stop at a fruit stand and got berries and snacked along the way.

While on the road, a large branch caught in my rear spokes, swinging it like a club against my rear derailleur, smashing it into pieces. I took the chain apart to remove the pieces of the derailleur but effectively I had no gearing adjustment until the next bike shop. Fortunately, we were only a few miles away from BJ Bakers Bicycle (966 West Prospect Road Ashtabula OH 44004 440-997-3486). Unfortunately, I could barely ride my bicycle due to the huge amount of slack in the chain. I could have "broken" the chain to remove links and increase the tension but I decided to limp to the bike shop. The owner, Mr. Baker, didn't have a derailleur in stock but I was willing to remove one from his stock bikes and sell it to me. It was a Sram X.7, expensive at $70 + tax but high quality and more importantly it would get me on the road. Maggie got some good pictures of the fiberglass Velocar bodies that Mr. Baker was building to fit Wizwheels trikes. They were completely weatherproof and have a mass of about 10 kg.

Ralph's campground in Geneva by the Lake, OH had a beautiful location right on lake Erie but unfortunately was in a state of disrepair so we can't really enjoy it. It wasn't terrible, but there is only an uneven dirt slope leading down to the beach (the beach and water, however, are fabulous) and there is just one bathroom for the whole place, which had only a few guests.

Labels: Bike Touring

posted by David @ 7:15 PM