PowerCycle

07/22 At this point it’s starting to look like I’m in a bit of trouble. My destination for the day was a lodge called Swift River but when I arrived there I learned that the cafe and motel had been closed some time ago. They also didn’t have safe drinking water which only became a problem a bit later. Had I paid a little more attention to the description in The Milepost I would have known this but no matter. I ended up buying some snacks and set off thinking I’d be able to find a good spot by the river.

Well the road kept getting higher and the river lower until there was no way I was getting down to it without a road. The problem I ran into for the next 8 miles was there were no roads. Finally I stopped and had a chocolate bar while I watched the sun start to disappear down behind the mountains. That’s when my front tire went, “POP!” really loud and deflated in near record time. I finished my chocolate bar, uttered many words not suitable for this page and laid the old bike over so I could pop off the wheel and see just how bad my day was about to get. [long post so click more past the pictures if you want to keep reading]

GPX Track

The front tire of course, is the one that has the hole in the sidewall that used to be on the rear. Much to my delight I could see that a second area about 3 inches from the first damaged area had formed and that’s right where the tube had failed. I pulled the tire off and readjusted the rubber strip inside so it would keep the tube from protruding and started to put it all back together. That’s when a guy in a Jeep drove past, made a U-turn and stopped to see if I needed any help. I said half jokingly that I could use a spare 26″ wheel. I guess he thought I was kidding because he didn’t say if he had one or not and just mentioned that he works at another bike shop in Whitehorse; not the one I ordered my tires through. He ended up leaving and I finished up.

A little further down the road I stopped to see how the tire was holding up. Not looking good. The 2 damaged areas are sticking out pretty far and they either going to form one big damaged area or just keep causing the tube to rupture until I run out of patches. I took as much weight off the front as I could, which has included eating just about everything I could get my hands on. I let some air out of the tire thinking that might help but I have no idea if it will or not. Next I’ll try duct taping around the tube and the wheel to try and keep it from separating more. Still have 165 miles to Whitehorse.

Had the privilege of meeting a gentleman named Ian Coates today. If you Google his name you’ll find plenty of info on him. He has ridden his motorcycle through 99 countries and has been on the road for 10 years. I was at the side of the road talking to two other cyclists, Chris and Loree from England, when he pulled alongside to see if we were OK. A few minutes later another motorcycle stopped since now there were 4 of us standing there talking. We laughed and said we all stopped to see if the other person was OK so the last guy left.

We must have all talked there for 20 minutes. Ian is the funniest, loudest, most interesting person I’ve ever met. He really needs to get his own TV show. He has the exact same enthusiastic nature that Steve Irwin had. I’d heard from a couple other people that he was in this part of the country but I didn’t think I’d run into him. He saw the older German cyclist I thought I lost a ways back behind me so now I know he’s still chugging along. It’s funny how people on this highway, especially cyclists, form this little community and we always end up hearing about the other riders even if they are days ahead.

A mile after my flat I happened upon a road leading up the side of the hill into the trees. The sign said the road wasn’t maintained but it didn’t say No Tresspassing so up I went. There used to be something up here because 1/4 mile the road ended at a clearing and there’s a house-sized concrete building foundation but no buildings or other signs anyone has been up here. There are a million mosquitoes though. No water up here and I only have 1 bottle left so I’ll be in conservation mode tonight. I’ll run into a lake in a few miles according to the MP so I should survive.

Day 3 of Man vs. The Wind today. It was horrible. Right into my face all day and it’s no warm tropical breeze either. The sun was behind very dark, slow moving clouds all day so I saw the sun maybe 5% of the time. I take back what I said about shipping my cold weather stuff back. I might need them tonight.

I left my Mood as Excellent because it didn’t go to hell until the last 8 miles and I go by my predominant mood all day.