Day 2 – The Marin and a Day in Woodbridge

My left elbow is healing nicely. 

Yesterday, Jenna drove me to the bike shop when it opened at 10AM. The bike mechanic looked over my bicycle and said there might be some frame damage and he would have to take a look at that. However, the rear derailleur was certainly busted.

Jenna and I waited a few minutes while heexamined the Marin in the back room. He was not back there more than 10 minutes. As he was walking towards me he said it was looking good.

The bike did not have much damage done to it besides the rear derailleur. The rear wheel was a little out of true and the frame was a little bent. Nothing that can't be repaired. Also, a new 10-speed Campagnolo rear derailleur was in stock at a bike shop in North Carolina that this mechanic orders from frequently. He also says that if the order is put in early enough in the day, the part typically arrives the next day. Once he receives the new derailleur he can put it on, along with a new chain, in minutes and I can be on my way.

Sounds great. However, now I have a day, at the least, to spend in Woodbridge, Virginia.

Jenna has turned out to not only be a do-gooder giving shelter to a stranded traveler. She is also extremely interesting and fun! I cannot imagine a better person to have come up to that bike shop after it was closed as I was sitting in front of it. What are the chances?!

Yesterday, Jenna and I took the metro into Washington D.C. I was right back to where I started this whole trip on Sunday. We walked around a bit and went to the Natural History Museum. Jenna just recently decided to go back to school and become a medical doctor. She is currently enrolled in a school in Chicago but home for a couple weeks on summer break. She is a well-traveled individual. She has couch surfed in Colorado, road tripped across the U.S., did the Peace Corps in Costa Rica, lived in El Salvador, traveled in Uganda and Nicaragua and Brazil, was certified to scuba dive in Tanzibar, and hopes to one day visit Vanuatu. These are only the places I could remember as there were many others. Not to mention that she's fluent in Spanish. Not bad for a person less than 30 years of age.

The museum was pretty interesting too.

So, now it is Tuesday morning and the bike shop opens in a few hours. Hopefully, I can get my wheels back today and start riding again. Woodbridge has been comfortable. Comfort is an adventurer's affliction.


life=good