#5 Two-flat century

I knew I should have put new rubber on my old Specialized Sirrus. I took it out because the roads were still wet and I didn't mind getting this 16-year "beater" wet.

Out near Ankeny, I had my first flat. I was a few minutes in front of the group. When they turned toward Jefferson, they didn't stop because they didn't see me. I was up the road in the opposite direction from where they turned. (I had planned to take the slightly more hilly route, but the flax nixed that.) I changed tubes, blew it up with CO2 and lo and behold, the tire quickly went soft.

Now I had to resort to patching a tube. I didn't bother with the CO2 this time. It was almost as fast to use my old Zefal HP frame pump. (Now that's a pump, mate!) Once I was underway again, I decided to follow the group and took the Wintel turnoff.
I hooked up with the group at the Mexican bakery in Jefferson.

Later, as were coming out of Albany, I noticed my bike didn't handle right in the curves. Yep, another slow leaker. The group was a little in front of me and didn't realize I had to stop. So I had to patch the tube again. Couldn't find the cause in the tire casing.

Still, it was a good ride -- the sun was shining, finally!

Once home, I switched to my red De Rosa and rode a Decker loop and a few loops around Philomath. I met up with a rider who gave me incentive to ride hard over Decker. I stayed close enough to him to catch him before the stop sign on Hwy 34.

Miles ridden: 120 (felt good, could have ridden more!)

Calories burned: 5800

Food consumed: two bottles of Perpetuem, one SE, a Cliff bar, and a bowl of chicken soup and slide of cheese toast (had the last two items at home)

Note: I thought that anything flavored Orange-Vanilla had to be gross. Turns out that I really like Perpetuem -- it has a little of fat in it and I think that helps!


Route: Independence, Jefferson, Albany, Riverside Drive, Decker, Philomath loops


Rode 75 miles on the Specialized and 45 on the red De Rosa