A lazy day…then bike trouble

After a a couple of days on the road, we arrived a Porto d’Ota for four nights. This meant stocking the fridge and putting the feet up, yes? Well Ol’ Blue had alternative plans. During a quick maintenance check, the old coot decided to go and blow a brake cable. Far away, as we were, from any kind of bicycle repair/parts shop, this could only spell doom for our journey! There may be tears. AW googled his way through multiple sites searching for emergency solutions…Cutgut? Twine? Cantilever brakes crafted from mortar shells and thong rubber?

It proved relatively simple, thankfully. Our lovely hosts, Joelle and Tristan, pointed us in the direction of René’s Garage, where the very very fat and very very helpful René sat, shirtless in the heat, waiting to provide us with all the brake cable we might desire! Before too long, Ol’ Blue was up and running…well, braking actually.

Here’s a few photographs to prove that it all really happened. Oh, and we had more pastries…