Dolly is officially back in working shape!

Dolly had suffered a flat tire at the drunken hands of Team Flipnotics at ICSK (Independent Coffee Shop Kickball), but I won't name names. Anyways, in our varying states of intoxication, we managed to get the wheel off the bicycle, the tire off the wheel, and the tube off the tire. However, since it was dark and we were drunk, we were completely incapable of finding the hole.

Two days later, I stop by the Bicycle Sport Shop, and after about ten minutes of looking totally lost, an employeee finally finds me and directs me to the tire changing necessities I so badly need. Moments later, I was the proud owner of a set of pink tire levers and my very own patch kit. Very exciting.

Since I do not have my own bike pump (although I think I am getting one for my birthday... which is tomorrow!!!), I went to my parents to undertake my challenge. I pumped up the tire and successfully located and patched the hole, reassembled my wheel, and fell asleep. What can I say? Sanding the tube was tough work.

The next morning, I discovered that my tired, fully aired and ready to go the night before, was sad and deflated. Well, fuck. Fortunately, I hadn't gone to trouble to reattach the wheel to Dolly.

I got the tube once more, inflating it to search for holes. I could hear air escaping, but couldn't for the life of me discover its point of origin. It was time for the sink.

With the help of my filled sink basin, I was able to fully ascertain the extent of damage left on my tube. My original patch was working fabulously, giving me one thing I didn't need to worry about. In the meantime, I discovered not just one additional hole, but three of them. Thanks, team Flips. You managed to get FOUR holes in my tube. Lovely.

Well, I patched her all up, got everything back on my wheel (let it sit overnight to check her air retention) then finally, yesterday, reattached my wheel.

Well, I immediately noticed that wheel was incredibly wobbly. Well, fuck. I figured I'd put it on wrong, and on my way back from the Springs stopped in at Austin Bikes. The very nice guy working there (the people working there have always been very nice to me) popped Dolly up on the stand and examined her wheel. Turns out, yours truly had perfectly reattched my wheel. This was not the problem. First, he trued my wheel, but as much as it helped, it wasn't enough.

"It looks like the beading on your tire is off," he said, looking at me. "Have any boys been riding your bike?"

If only he knew. Thanks, ICSK.