I get up this morning and get all my junk ready to roll when I realize that my front tire is flat. In my mind I knew that I would have to change it, but I was looking for the easy way and just inflated it. I was shocked when it did not immediately go flat so I was in business.
5km down the road while it was still dark I felt the front tire and it was lower then it started. This time I was not going to half-ass it so I just threw in my only other tube. Because it was dark I could not fully inspect the tire so I simply felt the tire and rim, and shook it so that whatever it was would fall out. After inflating I was set to go. Immediately I felt it was going to be one of those days.
My negative mindset was quickly changed by a beautiful road. This road was amazing constant rolling hills that were never straight. I think the fact I had a tailwind is what helped made it so amazing. With a headwind it would have blown.
I was just entering what was supposed to be my snack spot when I started fighting with my front end. Because I was pretty metaly spent I could not figure out what it was. It was getting to the point where I was nearly going over. It was at that point I looked down and saw that my front tire was flat again. Great now I had no spare tube and I had to hope my patches would work. This time I had daylight and found this sliver of the rock I ran over the other day that was causing my headaches. I patched the tube inflated and I was set. This time I was not loosing any pressure but I did put my wheel on backwards which meant my computer was not reading. When I realized this I let out a collection of curse words and had to stop again to flip the wheel around on my little patch of shoulder on the road.
I was about 10kms down the road when I head the thing that no cyclist ever wants to hear. POP! POP! The two crack had spread and ripped two chunks out of my rim. Again I cannot praise Mavic enough because the wheel was still true and did not have a hop in it. When I was truing the wheel the other night I saw where the cracks were so I took the tension off a few key spokes which really saved my butt today.
At that point I was not a happy camper. It seemed as if anything that could go wrong was, then I got to thinking. I have a tailwind. My tube it holding air, and my wheel is still rolling. When it went bad it did not go all that bad.
After reflecting on it I started to laugh at it because I was getting upset at things that have no emotions. Things that were just doing there jobs, and there I was getting mad at them. It is strange the metal games you play on yourself when you reflect on them
I was 13 miles away from my lunch stop and 47 miles away from my stopping point. 30 mins down the road I had completed 12km and saw a sign that said my lunch stop was 10 miles away and 44 miles from my stop point. I did not know which to believe so I just dug deeper and deeper. I was not going to be on the road all day, and I was not going to waste a good wind.
Luckily the first sign was right and I was on track to complete in good time. Because of he heat though my appetite was low. I knew I had to eat but my body did not want to. It was odd having to push myself to eat.
The last miles were actually enjoyable. I kept pushing harder and harder. Going faster. I didn’t care about distance or time I was zoned out and focused on my legs. The only time that metal zone was broken was when I noticed a men at work sign put up by the state that used “em” in it. I had a good chuckle at that. As well I at my lunch stop I had to ask the man what he was asking me three times. It was similar to the situation back in Newfoundland. I wonder what they thought when I speak because they must have the same questions.
Tonight I was going to camp but the state park was as expensive as the cheap motel so it was the motel I would be stupid to say no to that. As long as I don’t get bed bugs I am happy.
Trip Distance: 173km
Ride Time: 7:51hr
Avg. Speed: 22.15km/h
Total Distance: 10567km
Total Ride Time: 495hr
Destination: Camden, South Carolina
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Almost in Georgia, Ev...wow! Take care of that skinny white butt of yours and soak up the atmosphere. You are a long way from home and I would imagine that NOT many people that you are encountering even would be able to point out Vancouver on a map.I can hear the jaws dropping, now, when you show them just how far you have pedalled that bike!Lots of head shaking and comments about "crazy Canadians" to be savored.
ReplyDeleteMiss you.