fixing flats

I headed toward Saluda for a 60 mile ride in the unusually hot conditions today. I left at 1:00 pm and had to be back around 4:30 and then pick up Kristen at softball practice at 5:00. As I was climbing the watershed my front tire just blew out in a second. The tire had blown through. I knew I should have replaced it. So I got out the spare and a few dollar bills to boot the hole. I would do the repair and head back home with fingers crossed that the boot would hold. It blew at about 2:30

I pumped up the tire andvit did not inflate. The tube had an odd slice in it that I must have put in it trying to install the tire bead. I tryed a patch and it would not stick. Tryed a second patch, thought it was ok, and installed. Pumped it up and no inflation. Time was running out and the mosquitoes and horse flys were driving me nuts. So I took the original tube and patched it. At that point a couple cyclists climbed by and asked if I was ok. I said yes thanks (I hoped I would be). Then the watershed official truck came by and asked if I needed help. Thanks but I can fix it (I hope).

So I put the original tube in and pump it up and it inflated. Yea. Thank God. It is now almost 3:30 and I have to go almost 23 miles and then change (or not) and get my daughter. Yikes. I pumped up the tire to only maybe 50 psi I am guessing by the way. I get on and hurry down the mountain. I rode pretty hard the whole way back but was making good time so no huge effort. Average heart rate was 147 on the way back. Got home at 4:40. Time enough to make a big banana-whey-glutamine-creatine-milk smoothie. Yum.