Fifty Plus (50+) - How far have you walked?

So I would expect everyone at one time or another ran out of tubes or had a mechanical they could not fix and with no one to pick them up had to walk home. How far?

My longest was 20mi

When I first got my mtn bike in 1998, I thought I could go anywhere. So I did, and immediately got about 5 goatheads in each tire. Being a total neophyte, I had NOTHING with me, and walked in - but only 5 miles, not 20 like you.

Now I have a cell phone, and carry everything I need.

In cleats, 6 miles. Not so strangely, had to replace the cleats.

In cleats, 6 miles. Not so strangely, had to replace the cleats.
Five blocks. Did not want to walk in cycling shoes so I went barefoot.

Only two miles, in cleats, on pavement. I was only about 1/2 mile from home as the crow flies.
what are 'goatheads'?

Only two miles, in cleats, on pavement. I was only about 1/2 mile from home as the crow flies.
what are 'goatheads'?

A very nasty common vine whose seed is shaped like a goathead with a needle sharp "horn" which gives many flats around here. Also known as puncture vine.

http://www.kmimage.com/goathead.jpg

When I walked the twenty I was using toe clips and had running shoes on so it wasn't too bad other than the time it took. I always carry a cell phone but sometimes no one is available. Since adding clipless I think 2mi is the longest and I take my shoes off and carry them. I rather wreck a pair of socks than my cleats. I think these days I would probably call a cab rather than walk 20miles :>)

Are you kidding me, that thing is real !?!
Another good reason to live in New Jersey, the crooks will only case you 2 or 3 blocks, easy to out run them on a bike.

Eight miles in stocking feet (didn't want the cleats to wear out) after wheel folded from hitting a pot hole.

Once we had a flat about 5 miles away on a path with a tandem. The bad thing - I had a plane to catch. We RAN 5 miles - with bike!

Big advantage of living in an overcrowded country is that you are never far from civilisation. 27th December last year and I went out in the snow, not a great amount by any standards but the intention was to get up on the hills and ride home in the snow. Back to my childhood again but the idea was fun. Took a road ride down to the coast and the quick road route up to the hills. As I got to the top of the hill- My chain started squeaking. Just got offroad, put in a bit of effort to get up a rise and the chain snapped. See attachment for the spot where it broke. Free wheel down the hill, back to the cafe that I always use on the front to await recovery from the wife. Had no control down the hill as no resistance on the cranks and the brakes started to overheat. Then a gentle slope downhill along the front. Can still remember it as I had to have another piece of pie to recover from putting in no effort for 2 miles at 15mph and I was frozen. If I remember rightly, it was Warm fudge cake with hot chocolate sauce.

I was trying to squeeze the last drops out of an old pair of Michelin 20mm folding tires. The front sidewall blew out to the tune of "Shotgun Boogie" as I was beginning a ride one morning. After I let my racing heart settle down and checked my ears for blood, I walked the two miles home.

I was wearing cleatless touring shoes so walking home was easy. This was in the days of toeclips and straps, (pre clipless) so one could use either cleated or non cleated shoes with the same pedals.

Geez, my two miles seems pretty lame by all these big numbers.

The longest I have every walked is about 1/8th of a mile when I got a flat when I was almost home and decided it was easier to walk home and then fix it as opposed to fixing it on the road.

I have had a few close calls when there would have been LONG walks home. One was having a left crank arm come loose about 10 miles from home. I was able to get it tight enough with cr*p that I found in the ditch to act as a rudimentary wrench. Another time involved using a found nail and some rocks as a chain tool to repair a busted chain. That took about an hour on the side of the road to fix. Both of these incidents were well before the advent of cell phones.

Two miles, and this after the interesting discovery that an inflator will really inflate a tire. Also discovered that without spare tube or patch kit, the inflation was nothing more than an interesting, but momentary observation.

Still refuse to take a cell phone on my bike journeys. They distrub by peace. Once, Got about 15 miles from home and had to call my wife to come and get me. Walked maybe 4 miles to a phone booth.
Often my bike journeys closely followed known bus routes, So I could hope on one in case.
Where, I live now. That is not possible. I get way off the beaten path. And still do not carry a cell phone, but do carry a phone card. Towns here are usually within 5 miles of one another.

I carry a cell phone, but keep it switched off when I'm riding. The furthest I've walked is about a mile from where the bike had the puncture to the end of the bike trail where I met the cab. I had one CO2 cartridge with me, plus a spare tube with a bad valve (found out after using the CO2) and no repair kit. I learned that it is easier to jog wearing cleated shoes than it is to walk in them.

- Wil

I usually try to walk atop soil when forced to walk while wearing cleated shoes.

Does it count if I've had to walk to the back of the bike to get some tools or a cell phone?

Really. Just been lucky I guess. Even in college, never got stranded in 10,000 miles or so.