Re the wallowing story, a few years ago on a supported trip my wife and I do every summer, I was behind a guy who went down losing the front in a 90 degree corner in the dry, not fast, but knocked the wind out of himself with a good whack. Picking up his bike I saw his front had a flat and he hadn't noticed it as he was talking with his partner. It's easy to discount the feeling of a slow leak in front, I've been lucky the last few times I've had slowish front leaks and recognised that something wasn't right and pulled over right away. I think I have to touch wood on these two situations, but it certainly points out to me anyway the importance of being atune to all mechanical feelings, sounds of your bike, as well as listening to your gut about how your tires feel and reacting right away without hesitation.