Flatting out on Sunday Morning

Sat. Sept. 1-lifted weights, upper body and core, 30 minutes. Got to the pool too late to swim (they close the pool a half hour before the whole rec. center). But lifting actually felt really good. I always forget that swimming alone doesn't truly strength train. Also did 3-4 hours of light yard work.

Sun. Sept. 2-Well, I intended to do a short 1 hr. 16 mile bike ride before picking up Charn, Jen and Mom and going to the Estes Park Scottish-Irish Highlands Festival. It turned into a 2 hour "event." Had a great quick ride out through the Pinery, down Democrat Road and turned around at the Church at Flintwood Road, but as I rounded the turn from Deomcrat Rd. back into the Pinery, I heard a strange noise. It was a flat in my rear tire, and not just any flat, but a nail was protruding sideways through the tire. So, I flipped my bike upside down, took off the rear wheel and tool pack and cockily thought, "Gee, maybe I should time myself, and see how fast I can change a flat." About then a fellow cyclist rode by and offered to help. I said "No, I am fine thanks, I have everything I need!" Well, I put the spare tube in, or at least tried to, but it was too small. Upon removal of said spare tube and comparing the marked dimensions on the punctured tube, I discovered it was the wrong size! So, I proceeded to lick the punctured tube to find the hole, by getting my saliva to bubble. Found the hole, patched it and put it back in the tire/wheel and filled it with air. At which time, it promptly then deflated. So I took it all apart and examined the patch hole. Seemed to be holding. This is when I remembered that the nail had gone in sideways and realized their was a second puncture hole, opposite the first hole. So, I patched that and reassembled the whole lot and then refilled with air, again. Thihs time at least it held about 80 lbs. of pressure. So, I put the bike back togther and proceeded slowly toward home. Being careful to go slow on the downhill and stopping to top of the air half way home. So much for "timing myself!" Oh, and to add to my misery, the whole time I was changing the tubes, a flock of crows was incessantly "cawwing," I guess to tell me they wanted me out of their territory. Trust me crows, I wanted out too! Lessons learned, four...1) Bring a cell phone, 2) check the size of your spare tube, 3) have redundant air sources, and 4) bring a pellet gun to "take care of" errant crows.

(Just kidding about the last part.)