Bike maintenance.  I suck at it.  I'd pretty much rather play leapfrog with a unicorn.  But when I rode last week EVERYONE heard the horrible clicking noise coming from my bike and we were all annoyed.  I needed new cleats so I thought I'd start there. I changed my cleats and hopped on my bike yesterday.  Lo and behold.  No noise.  Whew.  I'm so glad it was that easy. But not so fast.  About 25 miles in my ride yesterday it started again.  WTF? I started out riding with a group but eventually everyone wanted to get away from me.  I know I didn't stink.  I brushed my teeth.  I didn't launch a snot rocket on anybody.  But the bike noise was loud.  And if I could get away from myself I would have.  It was driving us crazy.  But before the others rode off to be with quieter people, they all weighed in as to what they thought the problem was.  Bottom bracket.  Pedals.  Those were the top two choices. They also told me how I needed to dismantle, clean, repack, etc.  HUH?  Let me break this down for you. I can change a flat.  I prefer not to.  I can do very minor maintenance without taking anything apart.  I prefer not to. Remember the leapfrog unicorn reference?  It applies here. That's why I ride with folks who can fix those things!  I've got the tools you need to repair my bike and I'll even buy you a snack and beverage at the next store stop and provide interesting conversation.  Because if I repair my bike, we'll be there for awhile.  We don't want that now do we?

So I limped back to my car after 10 more miles of horrific bike sounds and rode up to a group of chatting dudes.  Some of those dudes had given me some nifty bike repair tips while riding earlier with me for 30 seconds.  One dude I've seen before but don't know inspected my pedals.  He said they were very loose.  He offered to cart them home, take them apart and clean them for me.  That's what I'm taking about.  Another dude marches to his car, brings out the pedal wrench, off come the pedals and I watched my pedals find their way into the jersey pocket of the unknown dude.  I asked when I would see him again and he assured me he would deliver my pedals on Monday.  Cue the music "When will I see you again?"  Picture a very pitiful Pamster standing next to her car with a pedal-less bike watching unknown dude ride home with my pedals in his jersey pocket.  Will I ever see him again?