The start of the bike ride followed my plan but the end did not. Rolling out at 11:37 AM on the “Kingwood to Ramsey Road – Huffman” route I was wanting to ride enough miles to put the week over 100 miles. This route normally is 37 miles but today it totaled 34.57 miles. More about the shortfall later. Those miles moved the week’s total to 110.51 miles and May to 844.85 miles. Three days left to get to 200+ miles for the week.

Yesterday after my bike ride I aired the Canyon Endurace bike tires up to 90 to 92 psi thinking it would have similar benefits that the Lynskey R300 enjoyed. The extra 10 psi over the Lynskey’s made the ride harsh but the rolling acceleration about the same.

With the success with the audio in the video I replicated the mic position and I think it turned out good again. I looked at “deadcat” wind muffs but the Amazon price was more than I wanted to pay for now. After looking at the GoPro frame that incorporates a holder for the mic adapter I decided not to get it because it would move the GoPro down about an inch and affect the camera angle. The Velcro strap works good.

A summary of the rides so far in 2020 on this route. Four on the Canyon Endurace and one on the Lynskey R300. Today I rode the Canyon.

Weather is a difficult subject for today’s bike ride. At the beginning there were some clouds but not threatening. As I rode south into Atascocita the clouds started to get dark in the east and south. Rain looked like it might alter my route plan. I thought about how a plastic garbage bag might come in handy because some of the roads do not have any place to get out of the rain. My shorts and short sleeve jersey didn’t offer much protection from rain and the storms the past two days included hail in some places. A plastic bag wouldn’t help if hail started. I kept an eye on the clouds as I rode east and when I crossed FM 2100 on Old Atascocita Road the plan to ride to Ramsey Road looked troubling. But I kept going and made it there. The video shows what the sky looked like and after I made the turnaround there.

Racing west on FM 1960 it looked like I was headed into rain but when I turned right onto Atascocita Shores Drive I hoped the rain was to the west just enough for me to stay drive. That mostly worked though the streets were damp. I rode into the Atascocita Shores Pool parking lot looking for a place to get out of the rain but the pool house didn’t offer much so I left knowing the Kings River pool house had a spot out of the rain. By the time I got there the streets were dry and no rain. Not waiting I rode to W. Lake Houston Parkway to head north. There is a strange border for rain on W. Lake Houston Parkway, when it rains on the south side of the river it doesn’t always rain on the north side. On the bridge the road was dry and stayed that way.

But as I rode on the bridge I hit something at the 34.6 mile point and the air hissed out of the rear tire. Stopping I got off the Canyon Endurace with the rear tire flat. It didn’t take long to discover the culprit, a large staple stuck out of the tire. On the bridge was not the place to fix a flat so I walked to north end of the bridge, lifted the Canyon over the guardrail and then stepped over. Kings Harbor was nearby and I walked there and down a bank onto a trail to the retaining wall where I set up shop to work on the flat. I debated about leaving the tire on the Canyon since the staple was obvious but decided it would be easier to work with the tire loose. Using the tire tools the tire bead came free and I tried pulling the tube out but it wouldn’t budge. The staple had bent over after it pierced the tube in two places. Bending the staple enough to pull it out of the tire and tube I freed the tube and inspected the damage, two holes about 3/8″ apart. Too far for a regular patch so I used a bigger one. The stiff patch didn’t bend around the narrow tube easily but I hoped the helping of glue would hold it but it wouldn’t and my test airing up failed. Next I puled out the spare tube but frowned at all of the patches it had. Before going any farther I tried airing the spare but it failed probably from all of the patches and age in the seat bag. About that time it started to rain big drops. I stuffed things in my jersey pocket, grabbed what wouldn’t fit and picked up the Canyon and wheel to seek a dry place. About a hundred yards away I found a spot but by then the rain stopped. This place is about 4 miles from home, not close but walkable. I made another attempt to patch the original tube using two tiny patches. At first it looked like it worked but after returning from throwing my trash away the tire was flat again. I put the tube back in the tire, mounted the tire on the rim, inserted the wheel back in the frame and began the walk home. Since my wife passed away this was the first time I needed a ride but no one to call. The staple that caused the problem.

But not to despair, a Good Samaritan came up behind me as I walked along W. Lake Houston Parkway and asked what the problem was. I told him I had a flat and he asked if I wanted a ride. I didn’t want to impose but he said it was not a problem as he was just starting to go jogging and lived in the apartments just off WLHP. Dan, who works for the Houston Chronicle on their website, got his carI loaded the Canyon in he and brought me home. What a kind man! We talked as he drove. He recently moved from Florida to Houston and used to race bikes when he was in college at the University of Indiana.

Finally home I put a new tube in, put a new tube in the seat bag, checked the patch kit and washed the Canyon. Even though I didn’t ride in the rain it picked up road grit like it did. This bike ride did not go as planned but I made it home. Thanks, Dan.