Monday, June 14, 2010

Two time loser

A week ago a couple of my "friends" wanted to ride to Springdale and back. Total mileage on that ride is a little over 80. I agreed, we met at the specified hour, and the 40+ mile trip out facing a headwind the whole way. Breakfast was had, water bottles where filled and we started back. By this time the wind had changed and we faced a headwind the whole way back. It was hot, 90+ degrees by this time and I was feeling terrible.
In the booming metropolis of LaVerkin my rear tire was subject to a catastrophic failure. The entire structure of the tire blew out. We were only a couple miles from the bike shop in Hurricane so I stuck a dollar bill over the hole and cautiously made our way to Over the Edge Cycles. I asked for the cheapest tire they had, knowing that I had two brand new tires at home ready to use. They sold me this for $5


They said it had been in their shop for a couple of years and were happy to see it go. I'll bet they were happy, worst tire ever. At 15+mph the tire shimmies and goes squirly. I shouldn't complain because it got me home. Thus ended one of the worst days I have ever had on a bike.

I tell you that story to tell you this story;
This morning I had mounted my brand new Gommitalia tire and headed out for a solo assent of Utah Hill. The temps were perfect, the wind was non existent and I was feeling spry. At 2 miles from my house...kaboom, rear tire goes again. In a moment of distraction I had hit something and put an angry tear in the sidewall.
I had no dollar bill for a fix and I would rather leap into a pit of enraged vipers than call and wake my bride from her treasured slumber. At this point I should tell you that I am an Eagle Scout and my ingenuity knows few boundaries.

Here's what I came up with:


You are looking at the tear with thick and leafy plant life pilfered from someones front yard holding the tube inside. Am I not crafty? I again limped home, a perfect morning ruined but with new fodder for the blahg. Tomorrow I will attempt Utah Hill again, I will be racing Virtual Mark, I hate that guy. But that is a story for another day.

5 comments:

Kristin said...

I have no idea what half that was about but I'm LMAO. (Not AT you...WITH you...)

Sabrosa Cycles said...

ha! serves you right for riding them funny skinny tire bicycles. nice boot.

Michelle & Steve said...

Nice Mark-Gyver work!

El Scorcho said...

Mark-Gyver....I like that.

DW said...

I rode my bike off of Ben Lomond Peak in Ogden once with my tire full of weeds on account of a blowout. Didn't work out very well.