Writings from the Road, Lost Count: And the trip is not yet begun!
May 1: Rode to the Rose Bowl from whenceA common spoken and written blunder. 'Whence' means 'from which place', and 'from from which place' limps. the Alcoa ride was to begin, about two hours after it was to begin. Tomorrow I'll ride to the area again, another ride commencing there (though I fear more hills will be involved).
May 2: Actually made it up early enough to get me down to the Sunday ride. As I was riding to Montrose in Pasadena, from whenceWell, since the writing was already done, we can hardly blame her for repeating the gaffe. it was to begin, fell in with an odd-looking man sporting wide plywood wheelsOdd-looking indeed! and an old straw hat who was heading in for the same ride, name of Roger Durham. Then I noticed an elliptical chainwheel, like the one on the recumbent racer at the Human-Powered competition last week, and he told me he produces them. He had, at one time, thought he had invented them and was preparing to apply for a patent; as a last stepProbably should have been an earlier step. I know, the advantages of hindsight. he checked at the patent office and found that he'd been upstaged in 1894. Ellipticals are superior for climbing hills in that the pedal employs the shortest possible time in approaching the high point of the revolution, and is longer on the downswing. I have his card and would like to try it outThe card? Misplaced pronoun. sometime.
Very interesting day. Moderately hard ride—quite invigorating. Then, just as I returned to the lot from which we began, I noticed my back wheelWe know she meant 'tire', but it distracts—and annoys—the reader to be obliged to make mental adjustments to imprecise writing. was low, almost to the point of being flat. It would not hold a fill-up of air. To the shop it needs must go. (First problem I've had with that tire, over two months of age.)
May 4: Yea, indeed, after four months of faithful service, my Wolper tire did finally lose its starch. Drove to work yesterday that I might take the tire to a new bike shop I was told about by Gary Beckerman, who brought me home Sunday when my steed no longer could bear me. As I worked fairly late anyway, I took last night's opportunity to return to the park whichAs the information following the conjunction is essential to the meaning of the sentence the clause is 'restrictive', and restrictive clauses commence with 'that'. was my home for a week, and take the tire to the shop on arising this morning. Glad I am that I found J. Martin Imports; not only do they carry Wolpers (unusual enough), but the price is about $2.50 a tire—which adds up, for those of us planning on'planning
to' is more acceptable because ultimately it is more concise. 'Plan on' must
be followed with a participle ('I plan
on leaving at 2'); a following infinitive, instead ('I plan to leave at 2'), is less wordy.
Saying that one construction is 'more acceptable' is a polite way of saying that using the other construction marks one, and not becomingly. purchasing four. The old tire, alas, was not worth the repair; separation hath begun 'roun its valve. For the moment I picked me up one tire replacement, and tomorrow I'll return to look at their stock of touring supplies and their Baka Biker Touring shoes, which have fairly caught my eye.
On getting home I fairly scrubbed my bike, but, everything else replaced and ready, failed dismally at truing the wheel. Would that I'd never laid spoke-wrench on it.
Great dream last night about riding a double century on Hannibal with Jana and David. I ought to sleep out more.
May 5: Spent $50 in the bike shop buying predominantly spare parts. Howe'er I did get meThis writer enjoys archaic constructions. While there is nothing inherently wrong with that, not everyone will fully understand. Just a comment, not a full-blown crit (she said, if not archaically, then at least obscurely). a pair of Bata Cycle Touring Shoes—oughta dazzle the fans.
