20 Aug 2011

Nonnenhorn to Isny im Allgau (61 km)

We both heard it and Gina also felt it.  Shoot.  After countless kilometers logged on our European cycling tours, this afternoon our luck ran out as quickly as the air in Gina’s back tire.  She had a flat and it was a loud one, the same kind of sound your Grandpa used to make when he’d tell you to pull his finger.  This is not a good sound under any condition, whether it be in tight quarters or on the shoulder of a wee road in the German woods on a bike loaded down with gear.

Now I’m not really one to brag and it’s not as if I could get a job working the pits at Daytona, but somehow I managed to change that flat without (a) swearing, (b) throwing anything in disgust, or (c) breaking any tools.  All in about 20 minutes.  That may sound slow to some but I say that was pretty darn good, especially considering the last flat I changed had to be at least five years ago and was without the pressure of knowing that I had to make the situation work, that bicycle being our only mode of transportation to the next town 5 km away.  (For those wondering what Gina was doing during all this, we sent her roadside with the possible mission of flagging down another cyclist should the situation deteriorate.  I say know your assets and use them wisely.)

So the good news was that the spare tube was in place and inflated and neither one of us had freaked out in the process.  The bad news is that the tire has a small split in it – one that should probably be patched – and it’s pushing 3 pm on a Saturday afternoon.  Translation: It’s highly unlikely any bike shops in the next town are still open and worse yet, will definitely not be open tomorrow, Sunday being the day of shuttered windows and doors here in Germany.  What to do?  Keep riding, I guess, until the darn things blows or we make it to Monday morning, whichever comes first.  I truly, truly hope for the latter.  I may even have all of that nasty bike grease out from under my fingernails by then.