Some days never go right

I had been flat free until today. I pumped up the tires as usual, but ruined the valve on the front tire. It was a good thing I was out there early as I was able to repair it and still have breakfast with 10 minutes to spare.

The first part of the ride was nearly completely on a bike path. Lots of turns and stop signs, which we barely slowed down for. I felt like an outlaw as I stop for all of them at home. After the first SAG, we were on roads for 4.5 miles. John and I were supposed to get back on a bike path which we did not see. This path would have taken us another 20 miles to the second SAG. Instead, we rode the next 20 miles on the highway with no shoulder to the second SAG. Once again I felt like an outlaw as I am off route and I wait for 10 miles to phone it in. As I am making the call, here comes Jeff in the van. He stops up the road at a gas station and I further explain the situation. No big deal, he says. My conscience is cleared! Because of near dire warnings of long descents with grades up to 15 percent and lingering thoughts of poor Rollie crashing earlier on a big descent, I elected to take the car in to the hotel from the second SAG. I could have handled the first one with ease as it turned out. The second was questionable not due to its technical merits but it was truly steep at 15 percent and the road condition was good only in the center. Not my cup of tea. After waiting around for what seemed forever, I took the car to the bottom of this descent with the intention of riding from there to the hotel. Staff dropped me off and lo and behold, I had a second flat, this time in the second tire. I had picked up a 1/2 inch tire wire that penetrated my tire liner. No big deal. I had the tire off and new tube in within 5 minutes. Wait! Where is my pump? Oh, it is in the car still as I had to take it off to put on the bike rack and neglected to take it out. Oops! Of course, there is so much stuff in this car that finding anything is a true miracle.

Here comes Kathleen and she has a pump! Wait! No air is going in the tire. Oops again! (and some other thoughts not expressed). I am thinking that it is really not my day. I am out of tubes. I call Pam and she comes to pick me up but we have to wait for the last riders to clear which takes another hour. By this time, I have not been riding for nearly 5 hours. Upon reaching the hotel, I examined the tube and the hole was in an unusual spot. I remembered stepping on the tube while trying to change it in a rock gravel driveway. Live and learn. By the time I get a new tube in and clean the bike from 10 minutes of light rain, it is 5:20. I have not showered and it is only 25 minutes until route rap and dinner (which was a wonderful catered affair).

Well it is all an adventure I told myself. I very much know this from previous rides and take it in stride. More steep drops tomorrow according to the route profile, but I will just ride down them.

Today's route was to Galena, near the Illinois-Wisconsin border. Old town looked quite interesting with many shops and plenty of Memorial Day tourists. The town is the birthplace of Ulysses S. Grant.

Partial day's stats: 54.4 miles out of 93; 15.3 miles; 760 feet of climbing. I missed 2000 feet of climbing in the last 39 miles.
Highlight of the day: Retaining a sense of humor (as I hope my dear readers can see).