Grand Finale

I'm off to Japan next week, so I won't be able to ride as much for a while, but this weekend I'm going to do something I'd hoped to do the whole time I was here. First, though, a lot has happened over the past month - I rode a half century (I don't have a map, but it was Lonestar to Baldwin then back to Lawrence), rode my bike out to the Wakarusa festival a couple of times, and got three flats.
I've kind of gotten off track the past month or so since my Grandma died because that threw off my schedule. My riding has mainly been for transportation or fun, not much "training" or anything.

Anyway, I'm doing some last-minute shopping and packing today, then heading out to Clinton for some camping with friends. I'm going to load all my gear into my backpack and then head out.
Here's the route out to Clinton.
To Clinton.
It's only 20 miles one-way, so it should be a piece of cake.

Fixed

I managed to figure out I twisted my chain somehow, and twisting it back in place helped. It still skips, but no different from before. Muscles felt pretty weak today.

Route

Easy and yet frustrating

Today, trying to cross a stream made by construction crews working on an overpass, I screwed up my derailleur throwing my bike across to the other bank. I worried, when it landed hard on the front tire, that I might have bent the fork, but that turned out all right. In fact, everything seemed in good shape other than the rear brake and gear shift--it had been twisted a half turn around the handlebar. But I got out my allen wrench and put it back in place.

Once I got back up to speed, though, my gears kept slipping, and I spent the next 16 miles yelling and screaming at the damn things.

I had the most energy I think I can remember, maybe due to the rice omelette I ate before heading out; or it may have been adreniline from anger at the derailleur. In any case, I barely felt twenty miles, though I was starting and stopping due to the damn skipping gears.

I followed the Around Lawrence in 20 miles route.