One problem after another

Joined Painman and Ritzy for a west side ride today. The weather was too perfect.

Broke a spoke in the first couple miles. Stopped, trued it, and back on the road. This would be the first of many problems to come.

After 2 1/2 hours, Painman headed home, and Ritzy proceeds to get a rear flat. Turns out the tread on his tire is completely gone. Luckily, I carry a spare tire this time of year. Problem remedied, and we move on again.

Just before Ritzy and I are about to part ways, I hit a major hole, and lose my grip on the bars. Luckily, I stay upright, and think nothing of it.

As we depart from our last pit stop, I remount, and immediately both tires blow! What the? I've had a double blow out before, but not sitting at a gas station. Luckily, I also carry 2 tubes. I get the front taken care of, then I waste 2 CO2 cartridges trying to blow up the rear. What the? Luckily Ritzy carries the handy-dandy presta/schrader adapter, and we use the stations pump. Whew!

It's about 4:30 and getting dark. Ritzy offers me a ride back to Painman's, but I want the ride time. He loans me his taillight, and I set off. It was pretty dark during the last 1/2 hour, but I made it.

I guess the moral of the story is you can never be too prepared.