More than I bargained for

I went on a night ride last night that turned out to be more adventure than I bargained for.

I left around 10:15pm and headed to MB's in DG.  While riding through WS I got my first flat tire in a seemly very long time.  I rode through a construction zone and got a really nice snakebite flat.  I got it changed pretty quickly as I consider myself very quick and efficient at changing out a tube.  I got moving and ended up at MB's place around 11pm.  We chatted for a while and had a drink or two and then the weather turned to windy and rainy.  I decided to try to wait it out for a bit, but eventually I decided it was now or never.  The ability to sleep late in my own bed was my main motivator as Masters coaching is starting up next week.  Early Saturdays for months to come for me.  MB gave me a pullover coat and I verified my tire pressures and also inspected my tires.  My rear tire got a small hole in the sidewall, which is surprising considering they were Conti Gator Skins and are seemly bombproof.  I must have really done a number on them in the construction zone.

Well I set off at around 1:15am and got as far as the Hinsdale Golf Course when I flatted again!  Same tire!  So I pulled into a parkway and started changing my tire.  I used my spare tube on my first flat, but i had plenty of scabs with me that I figured I would just patch the tube, no big deal.  What I didn't factor in was that in the dark and rain, finding the hole proved to be difficult, eventually leading to impossible.  There was rain on everything and all the drops looked like holes.  Please keep in mind that I am running 2 Niterider lights and a back up Cat Eye.  It was as bright as daylight with these all pointing at the tube.  I would pump up the tire and then it would deflate before I could find the hole.  It was maddening and frustrating.  How can I not fix this flat?!?!

So after about 20 minutes of trying to fix it, I decided to just walk home, about 4.5 miles according to Google.  I have after all been really needing a good "adventure".  Not exactly what I had in mind, but I had to make the best of it.  Yes, I could have called Katy, but she had just gotten home from a business trip and was pretty tired.  Keep in mind I was kinda laughing this whole time and had committed mentally to the walk home.  So I called probably the one person who I new would be awake and completely unable to help me, Aaron in Portland.  We talked briefly as I packed back up all my gear and just started walking and listening to music.

It was quite a realization that my walk actually was a lot further than I could visualize.  I have ridden this route so many times that in my head it all seems so close.  It took me a little over 2 hours to walk home; about 4:00am (My Sidi Dominator 5's were surprisingly comfortable, I was really thankful that mountain shoes are my preferred choice.  I could never have done that walk in the slick carbon soles of a road shoe).  While it was really not a good situation, it wasn't really all that bad either.  I needed to suffer a little bit.  I really felt alive.  Some how I even enjoyed myself.

mental note: carry more than one extra tube