Terry’s Worklog

Travel karma

After spending two weeks running around Vermont hiking, biking and finding a little time to speak to friends at Middlebury College and the Readex Institute — I’ve apparently had a little too good of a time because when I got back, the cycling gremlins jumped all over me. 

Monday — my first day back — I’m looking forward to getting onto the bike and I get out about 4 miles and I’m not sure what I ran over, but it tore open my Marathon Plus tires.  Now, for those that don’t ride much, these tires are nearly indestructible.  They are my winter tires precisely because they don’t get flats.  I only had two flats last year on these tires — both times when a nail had broken off in my tires.  I’ll take that.  So, I was really surprised when I ran over something that actually cut a chunk out of my tires.  Since it left a bare spot on my tire, I had to limp/walk it home.

Tuesday — I’d bought a new set of Marathons and put them on my bike.  Now, as good as these tires are — they are a pain to get on the bike the first time.  Until they are stretched, they take a super-human effort to mount.  I’d wrestled with my tires Monday night — so Tuesday, I was ready to roll, or so I thought.  When I walked down in the morning, I found that my new tire was flat.  I quickly pumped it up and could hear the unmistakable sound of air escaping.  So, I pulled the tire off again, put on a new tire, pumped it up and broke the stem.  So, without leaving the house, I’d already flattened two tires.  Sigh. 

Wednesday — Whooho!  A nice ride in the rain — and no flats.

–TR

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