Customer service

Rick Wimer

It was a beautiful day, the trees and grass were a vivid green, the air was cool, the skies and lake awesomely blue, with the lake sparkling like a sea of diamonds. I was recovering nicely from my second knee replacement of the year. And while I had been out riding sporadically on my trike for short rides from my neighborhood in West Lake Estates, this day I decided that I was going to ride a portion of my normal ride, which took me through our scenic and well-manicured Circle, Sunset, Chautauqua, Awaysis and Sunrise parks out to “The Cobb” and back home.

On my way back, on the trail behind King’s Pointe, directly below the Regatta restaurant, I momentarily heard a high-pitched pop and sneeze emanating from my left tire. Instantaneously, my handlebars veered sharply to the right, and I found myself tipping over out of control and sprawled out on the ground. I recall briefly, on my way to the ground, seemingly in slow motion, to successfully attempt to make sure I landed on my hands to avoid any injuries.

I hit the ground with a thud and momentum that a plus 200-pound man traveling at a speed of 12 mph would. Laying there all sprawled out on my right side with both my feet still in the peddle straps, I did a quick survey of my body parts. I was wearing a helmet that left my head unscathed. My hip ached from the fall and both my two hip and new knee replacements remained intact. My forearm and shoulder were unaffected. However, my elbow was scratched up, and an Eliquis-like bruise had started to form and began to expand. Other than that, I seemed to be okay.

Laying there somewhat dazed, my first task was to unhook both feet from my recumbent trike pedals which turned out to be quite a task, but successful. Still confused and with a racing mental state of my mind, I pondered what my next move was going to be. But before I took any action, I searched in all directions up and down the trail to make sure that no one had seen my embarrassing fall.  I was momentarily reminded of a biking incident that I experienced in Indianapolis in the mid-80s.

Oops! Ricky Bobby

Back then, on my trusty two-wheeled Cannondale, you might say I was showing off. As I was coming to the busiest four-way, car-filled, street-lighted corner in all of Indy, and like many other stops before it, I slowly came to a stop balancing myself on my bike without putting a foot on the ground for support, as I had done a thousand times before. 

While waiting (showing off) for the light to change, I just keeled over on my left side.  With all that traffic and people viewing my fall, I proceeded to have one of my life’s most embarrassing moments. Oops! Ricky Bobby (as some of my friends call me) has strayed off topic.

My next move was to stand up and get on with whatever was next. My hip surgeries, rehab, and inactive lifestyle for the last eight months have left my muscle mass in dire straits. It certainly could not have anything to do with being almost 82 years of age as some folks, mostly doctors, mention to me. I did not have the body strength to stand up. No matter what I tried, or what position I tried it from, it was all for naught. So, I just lay there.  I started looking for other riders, runners and walkers up and down the trail, and nary a one was in site. 

I tried to think of any of my friends that I could call to come and get me standing or even my wife. Or maybe I should call for an ambulance or something like that. And then it hit me; I am directly across the road from Lakeshore Cyclery, the finest bike store I have ever been in; and I’ve been in a lot of them in my biking career.  

Riley Godfredson — one strong dude

I sort of thought they might be closed, but I gave it a shot anyway. To my great fortune, I talked to Riley, the proprietor, explained my plight and without hesitation, 10 minutes later he comes walking towards me on the trail. After a few attempts, he finally gets me up standing on my feet again. He is one strong dude. I’m a bit dizzy and a little wobbly and holding onto the concrete wall to keep my balance. Riley suggested that I go sit in the lobby of King’s Pointe while he takes my trike back to the cyclery to repair, which we both did. 

I waited quite a while all hot, achy and sweaty in the lobby, and then decided to walk across the street and see how it was going. As I was doing that, Riley was in his van and getting ready to drive back with my trike. I noticed that the store staff were standing in the parking lot and assumed that it was past closing time. We connected in his parking lot. He unloaded it and gave me a rundown of the damages and stated that he had tuned it up a bit.  He also advised that the other two tires were both low on air, and that’s what could have caused the blow out.

Not only is Riley a great proprietor, but he is an expert on everything bicycle. I have been a customer there ever since we moved to Storm Lake three years ago. Customer service has always been exceptional. But this time, it was beyond that. Thanks Riley. 

Folks, if you ever need anything bicycle ... Lakeshore Cyclery is the place to go. I got on my tuned-up trike and smoothly road it the six miles to my house. My wife and I went to the Regatta for dinner that evening. All’s well that ends well!

PS: Yesterday, Ricky Bobby went for his first 20-mile ride since all this knee replacement started. I’m back! Thanks again, Riley!

Rick Wimer writes from Storm Lake.