Rumbling down I-84 through the Columbia Gorge counting down the miles that will end a more than harrowing conclusion to our summer road trip with our travel trailer hitched to a U-Haul rental truck, I wonder how things could be worse when I feel a bump of some sort as my wife yells “FIRE!!”
OK, relax. Years of playing sax in front of guitar amps have left me with shit for hearing aside from the constant ringing, and when camping, it’s impossible to keep my hearing aids charged, so, in reality, she screamed “TIRE!!”
Whatever the case, I look in the sideview mirror to see some smoke and immediately manage to pull to the side with our trailer screeching on its right rim, no rubber in sight.
Although, my wife says she watched the rubber flip around and fly off the rim when she yelled whatever she yelled.
So, Raz, how does one change a tire on a trailer on the side of an insanely busy Interstate? Luckily with a pair of heavy-duty jacks that we use to stabilize the trailer when we park it.
However, the nifty battery drill that I use to raise and lower the jacks proves worthless when trying to elevate the entire trailer. So, I pull out the lug wrench and begin lifting the trailer a single third of a spin (elevating about a quarter inch) at a time.
Eventually a State Trooper pulls over and sits about 50 yards back watching the escapade and, I assume, covering my ass from being rear-ended.
I manage to get the spare on, and when I lower it: WHOA! That tire needs some air!
Sure, I have my hand pump for the bikes. That will not only take forever, but add tremendously to the hilarious play-by-play the trooper is probably sharing with his fellow troopers.
Ah, VOILA!
My CO2 cartridges in my bike packs! Yes!!
Just enough air to get us to Les Schwab!
This week’s question: Has your bike toolkit ever saved your butt?
Only on my bicycle. And saved a couple other riders, too, who didn’t have a tool kit.