So today was an interesting day. Here are the fast facts:
We biked from Harrodsburg, MO to Kansas City, KS.
Total of 50 miles.
Easy right? Done in a little less than five hours if you don’t take a lunch break.
Other facts to consider:
It takes us roughly ten minutes to change a flat. Fifteen if you need to patch it. Plus a little more if you’re frustrated.
It was hot and humid. Maybe into the 90s and when it’s that hot you drink a lot of water.
We can only carry maybe three water bottles worth of water (most of us less).
Now our day begins.
We woke up at 7 with the goal of getting out by 8. After scrambling to get everything together and eating a delicious breakfast made by Melody, we headed out. Maile, Erin, Bill and I went out first followed by Edgardo, Caralyn and Evan.
We were on paved roads for a bit, but that soon switched to gravel. Gravel isn’t any fun to ride on, but I managed to not slam on my brakes down the hills so I’m improving.
We finally got to paved roads and there was no more gravel for the rest of the trip.
Alas, if gravel was the last of our problems.
We rode for a bit but then suddenly there was a call from the back.
“Flat tire!” Maile called. No big deal. We pulled over and fixed it cause Maile is a pro at fixing tires. We biked a bit more.
“Hey guys,” Maile called. “My tire is flat again.” Same tire. Weird.
We pulled over and started to walk to a nearby gas station. Suddenly Erin said she had a flat too. So two flats?
Okay.
Still manageable.
We got to the gas station and switched out both tubes and patched the tires.
After getting them pumped up, Maile’s tire went flat again. And then Erin’s. We fished out staples from their tires and replaced the tubes again. Erin’s still kept going flat.
By now we couldn’t find the holes and we ran out of new tubes. We decided to call Devin to get some new tubes. By now the other half of the group had caught up and moved on, but we were sure we’d hit the road soon.
Devin arrived with new tires and a larger pump.
We replace Erin’s tire again.
And it goes flat again.
Instead of ruining another tire we decided just to switch out Devin’s back tire for Erin’s and keep going. We finally headed out.
A couple miles in, Maile called out again.
“Flat!”
Same tire.
We decided not to ruin any more tires so Devin came to grab Maile. Erin and I biked ahead and Bill followed as soon as Devin showed up.
Lunch was at a nice park that had a water play section and although the other half of our team took advantage of it, we decided not to.
After lunch, Devin, Bill, Erin and I set off for Kansas City. During lunch we replaced Erin’s tire and Maile’s but before Maile could even get to the car, hers went flat again.
So a couple blocks later, I guess we shouldn’t have been surprised when Erin’s tire also went flat again. We decided again not to ruin any more tubes so Maile came back and grabbed her on..... Yost Avenue!
After Maile grabbed Erin, then Bill, Devin and I continued on for an additional 20 miles or so until we reached our hosts house in Kansas City and crossed the border into the Kansas side!
We made homemade pizza for dinner, and we had this special St. Louis cheese called provel which was amazing. It tasted like mozzarella, but creamier. Despite a few mishaps with the pizza stones, dinner was delicious.
After dinner we stayed up late talking and hanging out because the next day was our rest day, but even so, it was a long day so I succumbed to sleep earlier.
So are we expert flat tire fixers now? I’m not sure about that, but I’d be pretty pleased if none of us ever got a flat tire again.
-Leah Yost