Spring, Springer, Springest!

The Springer arrived yesterday. It took me the entire evening and the help of three roomies, a hammer and a pineapple flavored lollipop (yes, really) to install it on the bike.

In the end it would not fit on the seat tube part in any configuration that didn't end with my heel slamming into the S-tube, so I ended up moving it up to the seat post instead. It still wiggles back and forth a bit when the dog really pulls, but that bitch is bolted on like whoa and it's not coming off anytime soon.

After it was installed, I put the harness on the Captain and took him out for a past-midnight ride around the town. It was not a positive introduction. When I snapped the lead in place, he was so terrified of the alien technology that was pulling on him that he yanked the spring mechanism almost horizontal in a bid for escape. When that failed, he threw himself splay-limbed to the ground and beseeched me with huge dark eyes full of trauma and betrayal.

I started walking the bike, and this drove him into another panic. He struggled and skidded and flailed, all to no effect. Then I hopped on the bike and said "let's go!"

All of a sudden it clicked in his tiny doggy brain that we were about to go on BIKE RUN, and all animosity toward the Springer was forgotten. We rode through the town, past the dog park, across major intersections, past birds and ducks and all the other distractions by which a dog could be enchanted. His pulling sometimes necessitated correction in my steering, but it wasn't bad at all. We flew along with him insisting on a full gallop nearly the entire time.

It was great.

Today the temperature got all the way up to 51 f, so I threw the harness back on him and we went out for another run. A nice short run was the plan, only it got a little out of control:



I was good for a longer trip, but the Captain had the squats and was starting to fade, so we turned back after we reached the next town. 5.2 miles, like it was nothing.

A few times he did pull me pretty hard, but the spring mechanism slows down the wavering enough to correct for even that much if you're paying attention. The only times I felt at risk were when I was riding too close to the edge of the pavement when he pulled from where he was running on the grassy part of the shoulder. One strong pull from there, and the wheel would pop off the pavement and the bike would jar, and balance was threatened. I'll need to be careful of that.

Also, the harness that comes with the Springer is a cheap little strap of rough nylon that slides around during the ride and bunches up against his shoulders and neck. It's a friction sore waiting to happen and I need to replace it with a proper harness as soon as I have money.

Conclusion: The Springer is a fucking amazing invention, and I am absolutely happy with its performance. The Captain loves it. I took his leash off in the front yard and he sat on the porch until I had the bike locked up and his poo bags thrown away. No interest in running away whatsoever--he wanted water, dinner and sleep in that order, and screw the squirrel in the yard next door.

At present, my high-energy huntin' dawg is stretched out on my bed in what appears to be a state of coma. I don't expect to hear from him for at least six hours.

To do list: New harness for puppydog, padded handlebar covers, and some serious padded gloves. Also I need to ice my left wrist if I ever want to use it again. Currently it's so weak and numb I can barely lift my iPod. Typing is starting to become painful, so I'm gonna get away from the computer and stick it in a brace now.

Man, I missed biking.