Superstitions

Before I play a softball game there are certain things I must do in order to feel like I will play a good game. Some of them have always been obvious to me, but today I learned I have a few more than I realized. One superstition I have always had was shaving before a game. I must shave my legs before a game and wear my sliding pad to avoid having to slid. If I do not do this then almost always I end up sliding that game. This doesn't always keep me from sliding, but it does decrease the chances. I learned today that my refusing to warm up before a game is superstitious. I do not warm up (throw the ball) before a game, because I throw it most of the game. Today I helped a teammate warm up, and I felt out of sorts for the first little bit. And finally, I always wear the same visor to my games. Well, today I couldn't find it, I looked and looked and finally ended up wearing a different hat. Needless to say this was not my game. Of the 5 times I got up to bat I walked 2, and then hit three piddly hits. Even though I had a powerful swing I could not connect with the ball, and it barely rolled off the bat. I think I need to find my hat and hold strong on not warming up before a game.

With all this I wonder if I have any supersitions with mountain biking that I am not aware of. If not maybe I should. Yesterday I took my bike up to AF Canyon to explore the trails and get to know the area. I decided to take Timponooke loop. The first 3.5 miles was fun, it was at that point I realized I and made a wrong turn and needed to back track. This was not a big deal as I did not have too specific of an agenda. I started back up pine hollow trail when all of the sudden I hear a pop and psssst. Sure enough I have torn my tire and its not sealing up. (I run tubeless, so the idea is when you get a hole it will seal up). I kept hoping it would seal and spun the tire around, but it didn't. I then took out my CO2 cartridge to see if it would help....no luck. I then turned my bike upside down and took on changing my first flat tire. I did great and was really proud of this accomplishment. I blow the tube up a little bit and then get out my second CO2 cartridge to fill it up. Somehow I ended up breaking the valve stem and all of the air comes out. I turned the bike over and began the hike back to my car. I didn't go too far when another rider was coming down the hill. He offered me his tube, and once again I proceeded to change my tire. He stayed and patched his tube while I got my tire ready. Unfortunately his tube didn't work, and I now had another flat tube. Luckily he was going back to his car which was less than 1/2 mile and offered to drive me to my car. Of course I accepted, who wants to walk 3.5 miles when you can get a lift. I thanked Mark (that was his name), loaded my bike up and went home. When I got to town a couple of blocks from my home I saw a rider walking his bike with a flat tire. I pulled over and helped him change his tire and gave him a tube so he could get home. It was nice to be able to help someone. Of course all of this bring me to my original question, should I have a superstition before I ride? Maybe I would avoid having a flat. :-) Probably not, but it might help.
Fixing my first flat.


















View from where I flatted