Day 96: Cabra (Enforced Rest Day!)

It was a rainy start to the day, which I wasn't too bothered about. You see, I had a cunning cycling plan for later in the day. Little did I know at the time that my "cunning" plan would not be realised. This was because, a little before five in the afternoon, having changed into my cycling gear, I was in the process of topping up the tyre pressure in the front wheel, when I discovered that a spoke nipple had broken leaving one of the spokes tensionless!

The odd thing is, having completed my cycle of the Via Verde de la Sierra, the last time I rode the bike, it was rather dirty so I gave it a quick clean to remove the dust and dirt, which included cleaning the both wheels and spokes. Yet, somehow I didn't notice the unattached spoke!

Fortunately, Luis of LUYMABIKE (the best bike repair man and shop in Cabra), managed to install a new spoke nipple in to the tubeless rim, which sounds simple but it certainly is not. He was then able to screw the spoke nipple onto the spoke and true the wheel. That just about sums it up, but doesn't do justice to Luis's level of improvisation, ingenuity and perseverance that enabled him to successfully complete the repair. Thanks Luis.

Unfortunately, by the time I returned to the van, having previously returned to it for the retrieval of my wallet, thus enabling me to pay Luis (another example of my brain creating extra work for my legs), it was becoming dark and so the wheel is yet to be installed on my bike: I need to reinstall the tyre and replace the sealant, which needs to be done in daylight outside the van. Also, there remains a piece of spoke nipple inside the rim that I need to remove, which again is much easier said than done. The recovery of this piece of spoke nipple is of utmost importance: the noise of it rattling around inside the rim whilst cycling would be unbearable!

So it does mean the morning ride I had planned, so as to avoid the predicted afternoon thunder and lightning, will most likely be postponed. So it goes!

• Distance driven: 0
• Distance cycled: 0
• Weather: Mostly raining, but brightening up late afternoon.