Farewell loyal bike

Something very unfortunate has happened. Mel’s bike, which as you know I have been using to explore and get fit, has lost the use of its chain mechanism thing. It may not be clear from the photo, but the whole mechanism holding the chain at the back wheel has completely bent and rendered the bike immobile 😦 It happened on my way back from Potato Point, I had noticed the bike had been making an unhealthy clicking sound for several days, but couldn’t see anything wrong so ignored it. As I was about to mount the dreaded hill of death, I changed gear and the whole chain came off and got stuck. It took a while but I thought I managed to get it back on, but then when I got going again I heard a massive crunch! And the whole mechanism had kind of bent and got stuck in the back wheel, beyond anything I could do to repair it 😦 I did try though and thus ended up with oil all over my hands and clothes. In the end I had to call Mel to rescue me.

Kenny has had a look at it and there’s nothing he can do either, so we will hopefully take it to a bike repair shop in Moruya to see what they say. The bit that’s bent can probably be replaced, but as it’s an old bike it depends on whether the cost is worth it, as Mel doesn’t really use it and was thinking of getting a folding one anyway for camping trips. If it is of course repairable I will offer to pay for it, but we shall see. Thank heavens I only have just over a week to go as I am now confined to the farm! Although I will have use of the car to drive to Dalmeny this evening for fish & chips 🙂 Was also hoping to do a longer cycle this Sunday to Tuross head as I haven’t been there yet. Never mind, thankfully there weren’t any injuries and I can always go for a jog around the farm… fat chance of that happening though!