Our first on-street repair!

After 130 miles around the city, a G8 protest and a lot of pedalling, the Green Hummer crew had to do its first major repair on the streets. The ride started with the crew meeting at Headquarters at 5:00. The crew was to meet up with new volunteers at Franklin Square at 6:00, then around town, to the grocery store, and to the deck for a cookout.

The ride quickly turned into an adventure of sorts. Jarrod, Mark, and Margaret were on the Hummer. While turning around the parking garage on Ellis Square, a front wheel tacoed under the stress and the Green Hummer slammed to a stop! The front wheels take a lot of abuse on the Hummer, and the crew had gone through four already. No spares! Stephen, Natalie, and Frank took the tandem back to Headquarters. Stephen grabbed a couple of potential wheels and Natalie’s brown bike as an extra. They returned, put a spare on the Hummer, and continued the ride. It looks like some redesign and welding might have to take place soon!

Luckily, the crash had only resulted in one smushed wheel. There was no other damage, and it was simply a matter of replacing that one wheel and moving on.

Jarrod and Natalie taking Frank around Franklin Square

Jarrod had a manditory work meeting, and left to attend. After the Hummer was repaired, the crew rolled down Bull Street. Mark and Margaret took the tandem back to Headquarters to get ready for the cookout. Patrick, Brian, Stephen and Natalie drove the Hummer down Bull Street.

The Hummer crew decided to go to a low country boil of Natalie’s coworker on Habersham Street. Brian visited Jarrod’s meeting -he’s a former employee of the same business- so the Hummer crew became Stephen, Natalie, Patrick, and Frank.

The Green Hummer crew hung out at the party for a while. Patrick went home to catch up with the others who had become seperated, and Stephen, Natalie and Frank took the Green Hummer to Kroger. They bought supplies for a cookout and stashed them in the Hummer’s cooler. Drayton Street was closed off to vehicles for the Jazz Festival, and the crew decided to take advantage of the car-free lanes.

Back at Headquarters, the remaining crew met back up with Patrick; Jarrod, back from his meeting; and Mark and Margaret. Brian had rode back to the house as well, and Cortney was able to stop by, bringing with her some cookies she had made for the party, shaped like bikes and Hummers!