AUG 25, 1996

POTHOLES

Just passed Fort Eustis about ten miles north of Newport News, VA on US 17, I started to go through some road construction where they were repaving the highway one lane at a time. They were also putting either new sewer or water lines. I had to dodge large holes with steep drop-offs and safety cones.

The traffic didn't give me a break. I had to ride safely but I guess not safely enough. A car behind me was coming towards me fast and I had to get out of the way fast. I had swerve off the road quickly but I had to do it in an area where they were a lot of potholes.

The next thing I knew I heard the dreaded sound like a shotgun blast coming from the back of the bike. Also, the back tire went down fast. I pulled into a parking lot to see what had happened. When I checked out the back wheel, I saw that two spokes on the cluster side had broke.

The wheel was really bent. I tried to relieve some of the tension on the spokes but the wheel got a bit worse. I sort of got it walkable but one part of the wheel still rubbed onto the frame. I made it into the northern edge of Newport News around 6:00 p.m.

I went over to a Church of Christ for the evening service but nobody made any attempt to welcome me. I left after about five minutes. About a quarter mile down the road, I came across the Deer Park Baptist Church. The reaction towards me was the exact opposite of what happened at the Church of Christ. I was also invited to stay on for the ice cream social.

The pastor made it possible for me to stay at a motel in the area. Also, I was told that somebody would come by and pick me up to take me and the bike to a nearby bike shop to see what can be done to get me back on the road.