Originally Posted by pbpbbq

Yesterday's debacle:

• Headed west and north from home in Allston to pick up the Charles River bike path (Boston-side). As I crossed over the pike I felt a gear slip, then slip back, and then bottom out. Pulled up and saw that the nut had fallen off the lower jockey wheel bolt. No sign of it on the street so I started hoofing; hardware store on Harvard Ave had a replacement in stock so I bought it, installed, and set off again.
• Charles River Bike Path was uncrowded. Two large grey-black helicopters swept in from the west, fairly low, to hover for a moment over northern Kendall Square, and then out to wherever.
• Cut through MGH and the financial district with the goal of passing over to the Seaport. Only saw my life flash once (pickup decided he wanted to get out in front of me when taking a right into the Pike tunnel at Congress & Purchase streets).
• Rode on through Seaport and over into Southie. Sumner to E. 1st and out to Castle Island. Why did I do this? Crowded as anything and can't ride your bike on the causeway. Went around anyway, stopping at Head Isl because there was something rattling in the headset. Great, front-to-back play. Great.
• With all possible tenderness and agility, back trough Southie via E. 7th, W. Broadway, and the Traveler Street bridge. On into town via Washington, then through Back Bay via Charles, Beacon, and eventually Comm.
• Comm all the way home.

At home, pulled apart headset and questioned my prior choice of bearing size and quantity. Velobased my cups best I could and decided not to change things. Smushed back into place and tightened up, the play is eliminated and I am done.