Time to upgrade.
We left the wooded riverside site at seven o’clock this morning. The sun was out and the river was being tickled by sunbeams. Tranquility.
Flat tire. This was the first one that I experienced on the trip. I dug down into my bag for a pump, put in an extra tube and, in a short while, we were back on the road.
The air held - rock solid. We stopped for breakfast at a bakery, charged phones then mounted up. It wasn’t but thirty minutes later when I heard the telltale hiss of deflation. I changed out the tire a second time while battling the Alaska state bird (Mosquitoes). Having dealt with worn tires in the past, I know when it’s time for a new set. The tread was worn and the sidewalls slightly cracked. It was a surprise they had lasted as long as they did. I needed to upgrade or keep buying tubes.
Kelley had cycled on ahead, which was good. We stayed in communication via text while I searched, with help from Mr. Google, for a bicycle shop. The shop that I found I had the tires I wanted, Schwalbe Marathon "Plus Tour" (Made in Germany). What they didn’t have was the ability to accept MasterCard.
Using Google (again), I found a bank nearby that had an ATM. Returning to the shop, I made the tire purchase. The shop owner was kind enough to allow me access to the work area. In short order, I had the new set on and rolled out the back door.
Kelley had dropped a map pin via text, so I was able to easily find him at a restaurant.
After a little break, we cycled through the heat to Donauworth. There, we had a quasi-Mexican dinner in a downpour. We navigated to a nearby campground, off trail, for a place to shower (yay!) and sleep.
Note: In addition to the tires, I also purchased a German bicycle pump (with gauge) that easily connects to the frame of my Batavus.
Post-stick experience.
ReplyDelete