It cooled down quickly after sunset and I slept well in the cool night air. When my alarm went off at 4:15 I was fresh and ready to go in spite of it being hot and smoky and generally gross outside. The route was basically flat today, but with a persistent headwind and smoke that made the process more like a chore to be gotten through.
I got into Wenatchee with plenty of time to collect my new axle from the post office and install it, which I did at a bike shop just in case there were any issues removing the old one. My rear tire had worn slick so I replaced it with a new one and lots of tread. After a quick stop at Ace Hardware to return the tools and epoxy I had been carrying as my emergency kit and I was able to checked wheel and tire concerns off my fret list.
My next item to check off is my new gearbox. My replacement started leaking profusely a few days after I left Denver, and is now probably dry. Nobody knows why, changes in air pressure are suspected by some but not by me. In any case, my original gearbox is back from the Pinion factory and presumably as good as new, so the plan is to have it reinstalled at the Co-Motion factory in Eugene. I’m very pleased about having the work done at the factory, very disappointed that I’m having to do it at all and not confident it’s the last time. Bleh. Anyway, I’m working on a route to Eugene.
I kept hearing loud, angry birds but saw none flying around. I eventually figured out it was a recording and spotted a speaker. It was clearly effective at keeping birds off the fruit and hopefully the noise doesn’t stress the fruit as much as it does passing cyclists.
