Siezures aHead: skinny tire headaches

May 3 2012 Thursday My ride to Seizures aHead was an adverse adventure. Chose my heavy 35 lb Allez to use . Started around 2pm And by going toward Paris Mountain. Climbed Audubon (like 9% ave and 15% peak) To get warmed up. I had to stop near the top and rest a few minutes.  Egads. Sweating alot. Mid 80's and sunny. Oh yea before Paris mountain I rode and the two baby chipmunks ran out in the road not knowing where to go. They would soon be roadkill if they didn't get out of the road. One went right the other went left. And as I passed the leftbound one I looked over and a huge hawk was at the roadside and I could quickly realize it just caught a nice little snack.   Then up onto climb steep part of Altamont and the summit.  Onward to Green Valley and so on (on the Miracle Hill Route) toward Seizures aHead - I mean Ceasars Head State Park.  On past the pretty Tall Pines Lake and then onto Talley Bridge Road. Ate a powerbar; My fluids are getting low. As I approached the bridge I knew it had a bad sharp rise with a metal edge.  For some reason I did not properly slow down and thought I could go to the other lane and get a smooth line. Not seeing one I tried to bunny hop over it. I guess I landed my back tire right onto it because it blew out. Dummy! I quickly pulled over and got off. Got on a driveway and began to change the tube out.  The tube I removed was a double thickness one I thought would survive almost anything. Snakebite punctures. I had two new tubes so I felt fine. I watched a gecko that came to visit me as I fixed my bike. He was light brown and about 7 inches long. I saw him catch a small bug with his tounge on the driveway.   Back on the bike in about 20 minutes. Ceasars Head was only about 30 minutes ahead and it was about 4:30. I wanted to get to the top by 6 pm. I began the climb and expected a 50 minute climb.  On the way up there was a huge tow truck towing a huge crane truck coming at me. So of course an idiot behind me in a pickup had to pass me and go into the lane with the tow truck. Near miss (not with me).  Then I passed a tractor (headed down) with a bush hog going - stuff all over the road. I climbed on with weak legs just wanting to be done and at home. At least the temperature was lower at 80 degrees. Bit off more than I can chew again?? I climbed and all the sudden about 3/4 of the way up I feel my rear wheel being weird. Oh great, it is flat (nearly). I have to get to the top. I am out of fluids and thirsty. I just leaned the bike against a guardrail and pumped up the tire pretty full (maybe 60 psi). After 4 minutes I had to do it again. 3 or 4 times total. Did i run over debris?? Got to the top (park) about 6:05pm. An hour to do the climb. They closed at 5 pm anyhow. Darn. Oh well- There was a water thing up the hill - I hoped. I got to the upper restrooms and was seriously thinking I was going to buy a Coke or something for my stingy self. But wait $2 per can/bottle??!  Oh yea I have a Gatorade powder packet for 20 Oz. and an off brand for 16 oz.  The water standpipe was there and filled a bottle in about 1 second! I drank 16 oz Of water right off and then made the 16 oz of sunburst or whatever electrolyte drink and drank it.    Now I walked up to a picnic table and removed the rear wheel. I determined the source of the leak was at the valve stem.  That tube is worthless now but how did it go bad? I guess I mounted it wrong. Dummy. This time I was very careful installing the new tube. Caught myself not seating the stem right. Also the tire didn't seat right after a tiny inflation. It was not at all seated on the rim.  It has to be right so I can get home!  And before dark. Got out a second Powerbar for the ride home. The mosquitoes were pretty annoying. Belly full of fluid. Hopefully not too much. Left the park at 6:28 pm. When is sunset ?  End of dusk I wondered. As I descended I was very careful and slow weaving around potholes and bush hog debris. The purpose of a bushhog is to covert logs and limbs on the shoulder and put sharp pieces of wood all over the road so as to give cyclists flats. Stupid bushhog. I saw cars with their headlights on and I thought why. I realized the sky behind me was getting dark due to thick clouds. Oh no. I got to the bottom and was feeling better. Now just try to ride hard and careful.  The route quickest to home is via SC 11 and Highway 276 to Travelers Rest.  It can be busy but it sure is in terrible shape. They have chip and seal all over to try to "paper over" the big cracks and potholes.  I saw several layers down into some potholes. Yikes. So at some point, maybe near Travlers Rest , the road got better. The clouds were thick but the sun peeked underneath them some near sunset. Marietta at 7:15. North side of T. R. At 7:30. Cross over US highway 25 at 7:40. Might get home before dark. About 30 more minutes of riding if I held up ( and my tires).  I was putting out over 200 watts for some of the final climbs on State Park Road so I felt better and better. Hit Reid School Road and it was dusk. Got home at 8:08 pm. 73 miles and about 6600 vertical feet of climbing. 2 flats. One nervous ride home. Thank you God. A bad day on the bike is better than a good day at work.