Day Thirty-Five - Onto the Flats.

I managed to wake up BEFORE my alarm clock today, though only by a few minutes. I got my stuff together, and set off from the Hunting Lodge at around 9:30.

I had to take a detour after my first 10 miles, I had been told that a bridge is being repaired on one of the roads and so is out of use. I probably had to cycle an extra mile overall. It was on this detour that the land had nicely ironed out, though there were a few hills still. I suppose you could compare it to my ironing. Despite this, I was able to make good speed to Golden City.

On reccomendation, I stopped to eat at the Pie Shop. It wasn't immediately obvious that if was where it was. I went inside, and it was absolutely heaving. I while looking for a seat, the guy behind the counter asked if I wanted pie. Of course I wanted pie, and I opted for butterscotch, which was very nice. I didn't realise when choosing my pie that it wasn't exclusively a pie restaurant, and so ended up ordering a chicken sandwich and a baked potato afterwards. I also signed the cyclist log book, a book that contained a few tips on stuff to look out for further up.

I eventually left here, and set off to Pittsburg, my stopping point. I had to take the same road all the way there, and it was as straight as a poker. This was my first experience of really straight roads (other than my very first day, but it wasn't as long and I didn't know any different), and I have to say I quite liked it, though it might have been the novelty of flat ground. It was kind of surreal in a way, everything you go past is spaced out, it was like cycling in slow motion.

I finished the 30 miles to Pittsburg in not much more than 2 hours. I found my hotel, and went to book my bike in for a service. At first, I thought that the service wasn't really necessary, and my bike was running fine. The guys in the bike shop had difference in opinion. My rear brake blocks were shot to pieces, my chain is worn out, which in turn has worn out my cassette and my front wheel needs truing slightly. All of this, and a tune-up comes to the grand total of $195. It seems like an awful lot, I'll look at the recipt when I go back tomorrow. I do have a bike to use while all this is happening, but I can barely ride it. To be honest, I could barely ride my bike without my kit on it, it was VERY twitchy and wobbly. The bike I have now is like a monster truck, a tiny frame and massive wheels.

Tomorrow, I'm not sure what I'm doing. My right achilles is quite sore all of a sudden, which is a bit annoying. I'll catch up on emails and the like in the morning, I'm exhausted at the moment.