Jill, I’m so glad your ankle recovered! I got behind in reading your journal, owing to a busy week at work and a long weekend at the Oregon coast. It looks like you’re otherwise having a wonderful time. Enjoy and be safe!

Too bad about flattening again, but I really liked reading the post without seeing any mention of Jill’s injured ankle. And I see that she’s carrying her own panniers again. It must be healing OK?

You’ve been having quite a journey! Good for stories later on, but no fun at the time.

Just thought I’d pipe in on the tubeless debate. I love ‘em! I have been riding tubeless on my mountain bikes for a long time. And now have them on my touring bike and road bike too, and haven’t ever experienced a flat. The only big downside I see is that I can’t mount new tires myself - I take them to a bike shop where they use an air compressor. And tire goop adds yet another expense to the hobby.

That was downright uncomfortable reading today's journal entry! It is unfortunate that bike troubles ALSO happened during such inclement weather. Nothing like having to figure out complicated repair procedures with frozen fingers. Good thing Jill decided not to ride ahead! If your spirits can remain positive after a day like that, you should be very proud of yourselves. Your dining room that night looked lovely and such a sunset. Tomorrow will have to be a better day. Fingers crossed!!!

You sure have a great attitude after what you endured! I hope the rest of your trip goes well.

How awful!

So glad to hear from your replies that you’ve recovered from this “what else could go wrong?” start to your tour.

We had a similar awful day in 2019 but it wasn’t just a flat. Al’s tire was irreparable. We now both roll tubeless and I carry a tire-sewing kit (in addition to plugs and a tube), which I hope I never need to use.

Maybe yellow wood anemone

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anemonoides_ranunculoides

Some species of marsh orchid

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/48983-Dactylorhiza

Sorry to hijack the journal here - Steve, I think your hub is somewhat similar to my new Rohloff hub. I was told if the black box won't go over the nut, to wiggle the shifter gently back and forth to get the position correct. Maybe helpful for you also?

This is vivd writing! I feel as if I'm right there with you, freezing!

Steve here. We are safe at home just now, with our beloved woodstove to sit beside. But I sat down with my traditional bagel and egg comfort food, looked for some interesting Cycleblaze to read, and came across your harrowing account. It had most of the suitable horrifying elements, but I was thinking it was missing some of the classic extreme elements: tire lever(s) break, flat is in the rear, heavy trucks passing, thorn was still there. For our type of bikes, there is also a special one: gearshift wire nut does not want to come out of or go back in to that strangely angled slot. This most perfect of storms only happens every ten to twenty years, so you are good for a while!

This sounds like a classic case of "Type 2" fun. Glad you got through it okay!

I’m so sympathetic. This reminds me of a ride in central Greece years ago that turned out more or less like this. Rachael was seriously hypothermic when we finally got to a refuge. It took her an hour with tea, coffee, hot chocolate and chicken soup before she finally stopped shaking so we could finish the ride.

Oh, my gosh. Aren’t you two about due to catch a break?