Comments on: The Phone Call of Shame

By: Storms, cool images and heat stress | Adventure Monkey

Storms, cool images and heat stress | Adventure Monkey — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 17:46:08 +0000

[...] peanuts, caramel and sugar had no appeal. If I couldn’t eat, I was going to have to make the call of shame and get a ride home. How wimpy is that? 56 miles and done? This couldn’t be. I continued to [...]

By: Petra

Petra — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 00:41:16 +0000

We’d just picked up our spiffy new touring bikes and decided to try them out by biking 20 km to the next city and back. Both of us total newbies to this "long-distance" biking thing. We brought two friends, even bigger amateurs than we were, and what do you know, my rear tire blows out just as we reach our turnaround point. No tools, no spare tube, no patch kit, no pump, no knowledge whatsoever on how the hell to take the tire off, let alone fix the flat. So the friends head off in search of a store selling patch kits, while I hang out with the bike on the corner of a busy intersection. I look like a cycling beggar on the streetcorner, and people swerve to avoid me when I approach them to ask the time. An hour later, they’re back with the patch kit. We canvas the neighborhood to borrow the tools needed for the fix, call my dad to find out how exactly this patch thing works ("You mean we don’t plaster it on the OUTSIDE of the TIRE? There’s a tube on the inside? Oooooohhh, hey neat!"), get sandwiches to keep the friends happy, and get down to work, right there on the main street corner. Almost two hours later, we’re finally ready to ride back. Longest flat I’ve ever fixed.

By: Unknown

Unknown — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 11:28:03 +0000

I’ve been the guy with the wrench once and the guy with the flat tire and no wrench once. It’s more fun being the guy with the wrench.

By: Unknown

Unknown — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 10:18:23 +0000

I’ve made the Phonecall of Shame a couple of times, but never because of a mechanical failure. More of a error of judgement.I set off on a ride with a friend late one morning. We’d only gone a half dozen or so miles when we passed a pub known for the quality of its beer. So, with promises to just have the one, in we went. Many pints and no food later, we were in no shape to walk, let alone ride home. Our only recourse was to call home. I am still reminded of this incident and a couple of similar episodes, even thougfh they happened over ten years ago. The final words from my wife when I go riding are often "Don’t drink so much that you can’t ride home, because I’m not coming to get you again"Its the again, implying that it happens all the time rather than two or three time in the last 20 years that gets you.

By: Unknown

Unknown — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 09:10:51 +0000

My phonecall came at the behest of 2 of my co-riders, but it was mostly my fault (i guess…..). I was leading a short paceline with 2 guys behind me, and as such, it’s my responsibility to point out debris and holes and such. It was a road with only about a 6" shoulder, so I was riding probably 12" inside the white line, and I can’t recall if I didn’t see the pothole that extended to the inside edge of the whiteline, or if I just ignored it because I thought it was too far over. Needless to say, I avoided it, but both guys behind me hit it hard. The first one instantly blew both tires and the second blew his front tire and dinged his rim. So we had 3 flat tubes, 2 damaged tires, and a damaged rim. I had to make the call to a friend in a pickup to pick up my two riding partners….. but I cut my ride short and jumped in the pickup too to add some moral support.

By: Fat Cyclist

Fat Cyclist — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 07:29:11 +0000

b-rock – i’m begging you, man: replace the helmet. if it’s missing a chunk, it’s compromised. retire it.

By: Brock

Brock — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 07:23:02 +0000

I had to make the phone call of shame back in August. I was biking the Quarry Trail in Little Cottonwood Canyon in the mountains by Salt Lake City. Not a difficult trail really, just a fun ride. I was riding on my cheap hardtail just as I always have. coming down hill I was riding too confidently and hit a section of rocks going WAY too fast, my front tire popped and I went flying in a very impressive fashion, right over the handle bars with no where to bail, I had no choice but to eat it, going very fast, into a big pile of sharp, jagged rocks. I tore up my face, blood was dripping off my chin, but I was fine other than that. I scared my buddy who was riding behind me though :) so after I get up, I walked over to my bike to find that I had 2 flats and a seriously bent up rim. I walked my bike to the bottom of the trail and called home asking for a ride. I’ve still got a pretty gnarly scar just above my upper lip, and a helmet with a chunk taken out of it. I was lucky to get out as well as I did! And thats the only time I"ve ever called home. And oh man was it embarrassing…

By: EricGu

EricGu — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 05:37:29 +0000

I’m nicknamed "trip" due to an incident on a group ride. I got to hold up a group of 30 people 3 times before the call of shame.

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 05:34:25 +0000

One day this past spring, I was riding alone after a recent tune up/rim truing. I heard a metallic "CHINK!!" from the rear wheel, and I thought "I didn’t hit anything… I would have seen it coming"! However, less that 50 feet later, I was riding on the back rim. The rim had a stress crack that didn’t reveal itself until it was trued, and then caused the flat, so carrying any repair items would have been useless. I was thinking where I could use a phone and who had a vehicle that could pick up me & my bike since I had no phone with me either.From out of nowhere a guy & his son came along and gave me a ride home. When I offered to pay the guy, he refused, saying that my payment was to assist any cyclist needing help in the future.Since then, I carry a small multi tool, 2 tubes, 2 C02 cylinders & mini-inflator, a phone and also enough money to make a call if necessary. My friends give me a hard time about carrying all that stuff, but one day, they will be thankful I have it.

By: Unknown

Unknown — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 05:30:37 +0000

What a great blog and the comments are wonderful reading, as usual. You attract the greatest people over here, Fatty, which is easy to understand.Hugs to all you great people,MuMo