Bang!

I heard a loud "pistol shot" on Scenic Drive and found this. I tried a new tube + a folded dollar bill but that blew up a few hundred feet down the road. I'm going to add some duct tape and/or rubber strips from an old tube to my bike bag.

So much for the stock Rans tires: this 1 inch Primo Racer blew out after just 500 miles. No nails or glass. The tire was simply worn out.

This is the price you pay in Humboldt County for lightweight, speedy tires. I'm looking at various Schwalbe tires to replace it.

So there I was 18 miles from home with a disabled Rans Stratus XP xl, arguably the longest bike on the road. I stuck my thumb out and the second car, an SUV with a dog in the back, drove me to my front door. Once I pulled off the wheels we were able to fit the frame in the back with the dog. The driver had a mountain bike on a rear rack and said, "I always try to help our fellow cyclists."

Amen!