dstrong 

My ride partner and I have targeted a century event for September 24th and have been ramping our miles in preparation. Last week we did a 63 mile route that left me wondering whether I'd be ready but I chalked it up to poor nutrition and hydration before and during the ride. This week I vowed it would be different. I did a complete carbo load last night, including pasta and bread, ate a breakfast of steel cut oats and took Endurolyte Fizz, 2 Cliff Bars and 2 Honey paks (a total of 720 calories) on the ride, vowing to drink and eat regularly...and it worked like a charm. Total distance was 78 miles and I felt I could have gone farther. But the day was not without it's challenges...

Sunrise was at 7:08a this morning, which was the same time we started rolling from my house. The temps were in the high 70's, humidity was moderate and there wasn't a breath of wind. I ate and drank regularly and we made one stop at a convenience store to refill our bottles.

About 4 miles outside the turn-around town of San Marcos (home to Texas State University), with me in the lead, I head what sounded like a shot. My ride partner yelled "FLAT!" and we rolled to a stop. "Flat" is an understatement:



It looked like something had sliced right through the tire and tube, leaving cut threads exposed. Thankfully, the damage was limited to that one area and we both had tire boots, so we put on the boots (we used two, figuring the area needed as much structure and thickness as possible), put in a new tube and figured we'd be able to find a bike shop in San Marcos to get a new tire...no way she could ride the tire back to Austin.

So...as we approached San Marcos, we flagged down a couple of cyclists that were headed the other way and asked if they knew of the closest bike shop. They gave us directions but warned that it might not yet be open (it was 9:30).

We found the shop and discovered that not only wasn't it yet opened but a sign on the door said it was closed indefinitely for remodeling. So...I got out my phone, found another shop about 2 miles away and gave them a call. They were open but then I asked if they had a 650cm tire...and they didn't. I asked if they knew another shop in town and he gave me the name of the closed shop we were standing in front of. I told him it was closed, and surprisingly, he said there was another shop around the corner but he made it sound like it was kind of a sketchy shop.

So...around the corner we went, found the shop and got great comfort in seeing rows of Felts and Orbea's lined up on the racks...but they were closed and weren't scheduled to be open until 11! It was now 10:20.

We parked our bikes, found some shade to sit in and just talked. There was a sandwich shop next door, so I suggested splitting a turkey sub, which we did and a little more time passed.

At exactly 11, the owner, his dog and his mechanic showed up, opened the doors and to our relief, told us that they had 650cm tires. They immediately put the bike on the stand, took off the front wheel and went back to the shop to put on the new tire (a Gatorskin). About 15 minutes later, we were on our way with full bottles, a new tube...and 95 degrees with a strong wind in our face from the north.



We hunkered down, took turns pulling and just ground out the return miles...until around mile 60, when I ran over a rock, causing a pinch flat in my front tire. Thankfully there was no damage to my tire and I was able to replace the tube and reinflate without a problem.

We finally rolled into my house at 2:50...7hrs 50mins after leaving. The thermometer read 103, with 18% humidity.

Our 72 mile out and back turned into a 78 mile out and back with a scavenger hunt and repairs along the way but it gave us both a lot of satisfaction that we were able to handle what the cycling gods threw at us and emerge victorious.

Hmmmm...I wonder what next weekend will bring.

SlowOlympian

Except for the boring wait and the heat/headwind, sounds like a good ride! congrats on successfully appeasing the gods with the sacrifices! hopefully they demand less next time...