The reason for the above photos is because my bike is currently at REI for Spring Maintenance. Once I got back from the Erie Canal ride, my mom’s health became an issue so I never got my bike in for maintenance until now. I’m thinking everything must be rusted after all the rain we rode through.

REI just called me to say that the chain and the rear gears should be replaced because of excessive wear and scouring. After what we rode through on that trip I have not doubt they need to be replaced.

Starting on Day One we had rain every other day like clock-work: Days 1, 3, 5, 7. There should have been a 9 but I threw in the towel on Day 8. On what would have been Day 9, I checked the weather forecast for where we would have been and…you guessed it…rain. Not just rain, but thunder storms. I’m glad we were not on the canal.

This is a trip that I will re-live for years to come…the good and the bad. And, when you come right down to it, there was no bad.