I took off this morning thinking I might bang out a quick 30 miles on the new TREK 7300. I did squeeze off an enjoyable ride, but my chain snapped just short of the 10-mile mark.

Fortunately, I'd taken a route near home and (by fluke) happened to be less than a mile from the house at the point where the chain failed. I looked around for several minutes for stray chain bits and walked/coasted (very hilly here, as mentioned previously) back to mi casa.

After a shower, I packed the bike in the Sentra and rolled on to The Bike Rack on Lakeland Drive, where they quickly replaced it. They were more concerned about my well-being than about anything else, with a secondary concern that I was still happy with the new bike.

Just for the record, I'm very pleased with the new bike, and feel confident that I've chosen the right shop for me. Tom, Rex, and the staff in general have catered to me with thoughtfulness and professionalism. And the bike's proving well-suited to my needs and tastes.

While there, I picked up a stout little rack for the rear of the bike, which I was able to mount with little fuss back at the house. For commuting, day touring, errands, and general running about, this is a great investment.

I'll take another crack at that ride either this evening or in the morning. It doesn't have to be a full 30 miles for me to be happy, because I just enjoy getting out and about. 30 is just a distance I should be able to cover comfortably in a few hours. 10, 15, or 20 also allows me to cover a lot of local scenery. As the weather cools (unlike the literally deadly heat we're experiencing currently), I want to be conditioned to enjoy touring some of Mississippi's great towns on weekends this autumn, so I keep that goal in mind as I set up challenges for myself in the present.