The Fun Ride (A.K.A. Annual Lancaster Air Show Ride) took place today. Nice turnout (Twelve Riders). We rolled out of the Prestonwood Baptist Church parking lot around 8:00 AM, stopped at a convenience store for a last chance bathroom break, then headed Southwest on a 15-mile ride to the Lancaster Airport. We had a couple of dog encounters (A lot of barking, no biting), and after those it looked like the rest of the ride to the airport would be uneventful. Wrong! Somewhere along Lavender Rd. Billy Bob and Jimmy John had previously scattered thousands of tempered glass shards on the pavement. One of E. Bob's new 406 Scorcher tires suffered a puncture. I had been riding in the grass on the edge of the road to avoid the glass and would up fouling the low hanging derailleur on my GS Aero trike with a big wad of grass. After we got rolling again, and were almost at the airport, my trike's pedaling effort started increasing. That's when I noticed my right front Scorcher tire was flatting, as a result of me previously running over the grass on Lavender Rd. Thirty minutes later, I rolled into the Airport with Kenny J. All the other riders had already parked their bikes and trikes and were wandering around. Got to see a few aerial displays and the homemade ice cream guys starting to make ice cream. Then joined the rest of the gang in a hangar for a delicious barbecue lunch. Steve E came back from the ice cream booth and reported that the ice cream would now be ready in about an hour, upon which Kenny announced we were leaving. Bummer, another year without Air Show ice cream.
As we were about to leave, someone pointed out my left front Scorcher was flat. Patching the tube (had used my spare tube on the right wheel) and airing up the tire was a very long process, so it looked like we might get some ice cream after all. No such luck, as the countdown for the ice cream being ready was holding at one hour. Double bummer!
So, we're rolling back to Seagoville when Pssssss, my left front tire goes flat. Thirty minutes later we're rolling again. No further incidents. At the end of the ride, some of us gathered at the convenience store for ice cream on a stick. Not equivalent to Air Show ice cream, but very refreshing. Thanks to everyone that assisted me with my tire and derailleur problems. Sorry, I delayed everybody. It was nice meeting you Dennis.
Ice cream churn, powered by antique hit-and-miss engine. Little did I know when I took the photo we wouldn't later be savoring its product's deliciousness.
F4U Cosair being towed to front of hangar, just after its arrival.
Part of the gang preparing to leave. Dennis is in the foreground.
Ride leader, Kenny J, hiding behind my trike's flag.