I set off yesterday to ride Mt. Diablo. About 30 minutes down the road I flatted…I guess my number was up because I hadn’t flatted in about 5 months. 30 minutes later as I turned onto North Gate Road I flatted again on the front tire. Out of tubes I had to call it a day and a cab to take me home.
THis morning I set off again to ride the mountain, of course I flatted about 15 minutes into the ride, this time on the rear. I changed the tube and set off again wondering if I had angered the pneumo gods or something. About 20 minutes into the climb an ambulance comes down the road lights flashing followed a few minutes later by a fire truck. Someone had obviously wrecked on the mountain.
Just below the 1000 foot marker I come across a scuffed up Cervelo at the side of the road being watched over by two Rangers. I was beginning to feel that I was being given some signs that I should call it a day. A little further up the road before the ranger station on a steep pitch I see a shadow on the road just above my left shoulder…its a vulture that is soaring on a thermal above the road.
Not so much on rides but in the ocean - yes. And the funny thing is I get spooked much more easily on the eastern Florida coast than off the So Cal beaches. Move a little farther up to the Georgia waters, and I feel fine again - weird. Florida waters give me the hibbie jibbies.
Same goes for the alligator infested lakes, especially if they are dark like expresso.
I have a few of those sticky patches in with the spare tube and use a frame pump. I have made it home with as many as five flats on one ride. That one was your bad. The dark cloud effect, I try never to think of evil things that can happen while riding, there are way too many things to choose from,so I try and keep the bad Karma out. I have turned around when I felt bad.
I have a few of those sticky patches in with the spare tube and use a frame pump. I have made it home with as many as five flats on one ride.
Are the roads really bad round your way or were you running on old tires?
Yeah, right after I had that feeling I came out from under a bridge and I heard a big, scary dog start chasing me from my blind side. He was so close I could hear his claws digging into the road with each step. At the end of this 80 mile ride with little left in the tank, he provided the proper motivation to kick it up to 30mph and get home with my butt in one piece. Since then I’ve been doing a lot of rides on the trainer. Although I have a 100 this weekend on the same roads. I hope he is sleeping when I come through this time.
