Hi Charmaine

The tires I started on were brand new. The bead failed on the rear after a few hundred miles, as I chronicled at the time.

I think the second failure was due to road hazard damage. I hit a hole VERY hard coming off a bridge somewhere in Yellowstone, and quite possibly damaged the rear tire in the process.

Yes, a get together would be great! You never saw the finished table that your stained glass is part of; we should correct that omission.

I met Felix in Dayville. We stayed at the church there. Had heard he was suffering, so glad to get confirmation.

Will check into 50 States ride after my return home.

NOT a wimp. A smart rider. When an injury of any kind is becoming identifiable, when riding becomes less than fun, and when ride feels so much discomfort, it is time to stop. There will be more opportunities to ride if you choose, and knee and other pain will be a memory not an annoyance.

Bummer you had to call it quits, but it's understandable for many reasons. Yea, the Bike Friday tire size is a royal pain when you need a replacement!! I had to walk to 5 different shops when I was in Scotland years ago, and finally managed to get a pair for my Bike Friday. I think starting with fresh tires is a good idea when doing a long tour. Hope you have a good trip home and I'd be happy to get together with you when you're free sometime!

Absolutely. Today is my last (fingers crossed) day of Covid recovery. So I can socialize again.

We met a guy named Felix near Baker City. He stoops his tour with knee problems a few days later. Stuff happens.

BTW if you are game you are welcome to join my 50 States Ride posse, assuming the event isn’t sold out. (Check the WABA website.) The date is Saturday 9/17.

Wow!

Thanks John. When I get home I'd like to get together to tell lies and spin yarns about life on the road. You game for that?

Bravo. No shame. I cut my first two tours short and rode a whole lot fewer miles and climbed a lot less than you have. And I didn’t get to ride through a dam neither.

My 2019 tour led to months of PT and cortisone shots. Wrecking your body doesn’t win you any medals just a pile of medical bills.

Safe travels homeward.

Thanks Mike.

"Next time..." Hmmm, we'll have to see about that concept.

Seriously though, it may be an entirely different bike and not just a different tire brand. Odysseus had been a good bike, but... he's on the chunky side of the weight spectrum and of course there's the tire size thing, which limits the field of options. And no disc brakes.

I'll have to think long and hard before making that decision though. I don't know how much more loaded touring I want to do. Credit card riding, with that much less stuff to lug around, has a definite appeal right about now. But this is the wrong time to be pondering any of that. I need to let some time pass first.

Good decision. When you are no longer enjoying your ride it is a good time to cut it short.
As we age our bodies are not capable of performing to the level that they did when we were younger and recovery takes longer.

Maybe investigate a different brand of tyre for next time?

I'd probably have had to ride side saddle.

Thanks Kelly. I've been trying to write in a style that will keep the reader's interest because the journal's more for the rest of the world than for me- at least initially.

I owe a debt of gratitude to, among others, Leo Woodland, Scott Anderson, and Jeff Arnim. I've found theirs to be among the journals I most enjoy reading myself, and have tried to tailor my own writing style to incorporate the aspects of what I find appealing in their writing.

It's always gratifying to receive praise from other journal-writers as well as "non-combatants"... :)

Your journal has been an amazing read. I’ve felt as if I were riding right along next to you!

Thank you for sharing your journey with us.

I hope your travels home go smoothly.

Well, if the pavement roller HAD run over you, you'd have a lot less wind resistance going foreward! But I suppose crosswinds would be a challenge......

Some of each. Rode SLOWLY down the less steep bits but walked the precipitous parts. More time to look around that way, too.