navelgazing.omphaloskeptic.net Journal

Getting There - Aneel's Travelogue

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Handcar Regatta Santa Rosa, California, Sunday, 27 September 2009 10:01pm

Today I rode back down to Santa Rosa to see the Handcar Regatta, a race for railroad handcars, you know, the teeter-totter carts that they used to run along railroad tracks? These were hand-built, human-powered riffs on that theme. There were some pretty fanciful contraptions. The fastest was one that was basically a bicycle with an arm to attach it to the far rail, but my favorite was the one that used blocks of ice instead of wheels.

The riding was pretty ideal. Long stretches where I could get the bike up to around 20mph and just keep it there.

I think I've now visited all of the bike shops between Santa Rosa and Cloverdale. My front tire went flat a couple miles north of Windsor, and after changing it, spent half an hour trying to find a spare tube and a floor pump. Then after the bike valet at the regatta returned my bike to me, the replacement tube was flat. So I bought another few spares at one bike shop and noticed that the bracket holding my handlebar bag was breaking. Neither of the bike shops I tried had a replacement, so I stopped by Home Depot and got some bolts and washers. Hopefully, they'll hold for the next few days.

63.54mi 4:48 rolling Map