did the hulton / new ken / tarentum loop for the second time, just rock and me. weather was threatening but seemed okay, and we set a nice pace out to oakmont and got over the hill quicker than i remember doing it with eskil and dave w a few weeks back, but then who's to say.

pulling into the tarentum sheetz, thinking there were more miles yet to happen in the hills behind tarentum, maybe a lot more miles, i heard some noise in my chain which quickly went away. messing around with the wheel while rock shopped for gatorade, i realized the problem. one of my fancy schmancy bladed spokes had snapped and had been getting into the chain. the wheel was way out of true near the broken spoke and couldn't spin freely unless i basically disabled the rear brake.

so much for extra miles. road home flat but fast using only the front brake and praying the wheel wouldn't fail. as we entered blawnox, it began to rain.

no biggie, but now i get to find out how expensive it is to maintain a well-equipped road machine. i'm not looking forward to it, but while i'm in the shop i figure i'll have some other work done to further personalizing the bike -- new stem, computer, etc.

(time stolen from the last time i did this ride; i really have no idea.)