Comedy of Air

With the decision to make the 12hr a "no-go," I slotted Saturday and Sunday as Jaimaca North spin-fests. While yesterday went as planned, today became a small comedy of flats.

I headed South toward Beatrice "enjoying" a head and crosswind most of the way. After sliding back onto gravel after the limestone ended near Courtland, I had gotten a few miles from Beatrice when I could feel the too familar bounce of a sinking rear tire. Pulling off to the side for a pit, I found three goat head thorns in the rear tire. After throwing in the spare, I found I had another thorn in the front. I pulled the patch kit out and fixed this as well, but had to use my last patch to do it.

I spun it North and headed toward home and hoping that would be the end of the flats. A few miles later I stopped at a road crossing and looked down to see thorn number five waving hello to me from my front wheel. Lovely.

I called Mrs. Snob to inform her I might end up more than a little late, but got voice mail. It reminded me of a ride in Michigan when I flatted out two hours in, essentially at my turnaround point, and ended up running back to my car in a futile effort to make a family event that afternoon. In Michigan, I had no service. At least this time I left a message and there was no extended family involved.

As luck would have it, the tire held most of the way back to Lincoln. Perhaps that will take care of my flats for the month and no flint will take me down in Kanza. Last year I had two flats. I wouldn't mind pitching a shutout on that front this year.

Cruising South before the fun began.