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.
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.
In a week I will be in Pittsburgh riding with a group of cyclist from BikeForums.com to Washington, DC. With Matilda already shipped to Pitts and almost have everything I need piled near my desk, I am a little ahead of the game.
We’ll be staying in Boston, PA, Connellsville, and Rockwood, PA, Cumberland, and Hancock, MD, Harpers Ferry, WV, and then in Arlington, VA.
Flying back to Seattle, I’ll hop in my car at Seatac and drive strait to Ashland, OR to attend United Bicycle Institute’s Professional Shop Mechanic course which will run for two weeks. This will hopefully prepare me for Beth’s and my two and a half week tour back to Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.
