Today, regardless that I own a bike shop, am now officially a “professional bike mechanic ” anda graduate from United Bicycle Institutes’s (UBI) Professional Bike Mechanic course. And though I already knew a bit before I came it was a good experience and gave me a better foundation which I can use back on the island. I learnt only a few new things, mainly mountain bike related stuff (hydraulic brakes and shocks), but more importantly I learnt about bike industry standards in an excellent and systematic approach to what some see as voodoo art.
I bid my roommates goodbye and good luck
From left to right: me, Chris F, Chris M, and Eric
As well as fellow students, some of whom biked here from places like Vancouver, BC, San Francisco and elsewhere.
And Finally tonight I pack-up my stuff and bikes and shuffle out of beautiful (and hot as hell) Ashland, OR first thing in the morning (when it’s cooler) on a 546 mile drive north. It will be nice to get home even if it’s only for a couple of weeks.
Gawd’s shipping and handling that is…
While at UBI in Ashland, OR I met at my hostel Eric from Rivendell and his girlfriend who are biking from Vancouver, BC back home to the Bay Area, CA. If you’ve bought a Rivendell bike there’s a good chance Eric packed and shipped it to you.
Here’s his Sam Hillborne and her Surly LHT (a match made in Heaven)!
Am now in Ashland, OR attending United Bicycle Institute’s (UBI) two week professional bike mechanic class. Driving down was hell Seatac. After not getting any sleep the night before leaving DC and then flying in cramped quarters for several hours (ended up paying extra for business class mid flight) I drove from Seattle to Ashland which is over 500 miles (the games we play to keep ourselves awake). I did sleep at a rest stop just north of Eugene for an hour which helped a lot but a note to the vending companies who supply Oregon’s rest stops, every caffeinated beverage vending machine between Portland and Ashland is broken… jerks!
Our first class at UBI was today and we spent the day taking apart and reasembling front and rear hubs (Shimano and camagnolo), which I’ve done before but tomorrow we lace up a wheelset which I’ve done only once (with intence supervision) and am a little worried as we have to have them done by Thursday night or we don’t get a cirtification of completion. If I can stay awake during class and keep my attention focused, I’ll be okay but am struggleing with sleep deprivation or something which has been making me very tired lately.
