February 26, 2024
Day 29 - Happy
This title is two for one. I’m truly happy again and I wasn’t sure if happy birthday was the title of the song but… HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!!!! Anyways, I woke up this morning. I texted René if I could fill my waters up in his rv. I knew he said yes and about 5 seconds later he told me to go get some breakfast too. He left it unlocked for me. I made a sandwich and got Oreos, nilla wafers, and more ice cream. Oh and my absolute favorite. Bread and butta. Mom called right as I was about to start. I looked down and my front tire was flat. Those dang burrs!! I changed it in about 15 minutes and then was on the road. Not much wind so I was feeling good. William called so I got to talk to him for about 10 miles. He’s a good pal. A few miles later I started to go down this hill. I felt a bumpiness to my back tire and look down and it’s flat. I change it real quick and start to pump it up but that one had a leak as well. Must’ve punctured it putting it on. So I got going again. This one held. I texted dad and ate some more of moms banana bread. I was getting ready to go but then I look back and it’s flat again. Now I realize there must be a thorn stuck in there that I didn’t feel. Or a spoke. I feel the tire once again and there was a tiny thorn that I could barely see that was causing all my problems. It was getting hot. It was getting windy. I was getting frustrated. This one took 30-45 minutes. I was exhausted and was only able to pump up my tire about a third of the way. At this point dad would be meeting instead of the other way around. I found a bike shop 28 miles away and worked towards that. The wind was hard. Eventually I get to where I thought dad would be. Turns out he was going too fast he passed me. I was so tired but so happy to see him. I followed him to the bike shop and it felt amazing to be sheltered from the wind a bit. Made it there and got chipotle. That was good. Then cruised to the hotel. Once again behind dad. Didn’t make it as far as plannned but that’s what happens out here. Took a shower at the hotel. Got five guys. Got tortillas and PB at Walmart. Dad put a new tire on my bike. And now I’ll be going to bed. So thankful to be eating a meal with someone and to have someone to talk their ear off. It’s hard to say how grateful I am for who he is in my life and so many others. Good to be with you :)
| Heart | 3 | Comment | 0 | Link |
Today's ride: 68 miles (109 km)
Total: 2,208 miles (3,553 km)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 11 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 1 |
If you carry a wad of cotton in your puncture kit, you can wipe it back and forth inside the tire to find the offending item and also avoid bloody fingers. Cotton fibers catch on whatever pokes through so it is easy to spot.
Something I learned probably 25 or so years ago on the now defunct Phred cycle touring website.
8 months ago