I spent a week sitting around PAB sleeping a lot and just hanging around with family. I did ride 60km to Bad Axe and back to get a COVID test in the hopes of getting into Canada. I spent a lot of last Saturday putting together documents for a travel exemption. I decided waiting on the response which might not come for 2 weeks and might be denied was not worth it. Laurie and the boys headed home on Tuesday and it's time for me to do the same. I've been on the road nearly 7 weeks. Tomorrow I want to be in my own bed.
I meant to leave at 8 but it turned into 9. Riding south I was into a moderate headwind and was having trouble making much more than 20km/h. That speed really makes a day long. At least it wasn't raining.
About 30km along I heard a pisssssss noise and saw some sealant spraying. My tire went almost flat. The hole from Frankenmuth was leaking and the sealant was not doing the job. I pumped in some air and continued on, adding air a few times. When I got to Verona there was a space beside the tavern so I stopped to install an inner tube. The inner tube looked good and I was back on the road.
I made the turn at Ubly 3 miles and my tire went flat again. I found a place by the side of the road and started to get the flat kit out ... that's when it started to rain. I knew I could not fix a flat in the rain - mostly because I can't see anything when the glasses are all wet and steamy so I started walking. Fortunately, the rain didn't last long and figured I should give the patch a try. The new leak had nothing to do with any of the other tire problems and it looked like a faulty inner tube. At least half of the inner tubes I have used in the last few years have failed almost immediately. This is one of the main reasons I wanted tubeless tires.
I was able to ride into Ubly and stopped at the first gas station to get a drink and regroup. I still had 100km to go but my tire seemed to be holding air. There were no bicycle resources until just before Detroit so I had to make this tire last. I also needed to eat. This was the slowest 40km I have ridden this trip.
First up food ... not much in town ... Subway looks like the best and fastest option so I head there. I order a sandwich and sit in a booth eating it. While I'm there a guy comes in and looks like he wants to order and patiently waits as the girls at the counter have gone off somewhere. I said they were here a minute ago and they must be around. He waits.
I pack up and go outside to find my tire completely flat.
Knowing that with the patch kit I have fixing that inner tube will be nearly impossible I go back inside and ask the gas station side of the store if there are Ubers or anything. They report a bus will take you to the end of the county for $1.50 and that Sandusky just got DoorDash but they only deliver McDonald's.
The guy still waiting for at the Subway side says he will drive me. "What? Really? Ahh, OK." The Subway girl finally comes back and I pay for his sandwich ... a small price to for a 60 mile ride. Mike from Ubly is an interesting character. Young guy, he
was in a pretty serious accident and it changed his outlook somewhat. We threw the bike in the back of the pickup and headed to Imlay City. We had a fun conversation.
Thanks Mike, you saved the day!
At my motel I reviewed options. The best one seemed to be the local hardware store. Google says a 27 minute walk ... that's when I notice it is pretty hot. At the hardware store I get some patch kits and a bottle of Slime tire sealant for garden equipment tires. It should work if I can patch up the big hole.
I patched the tire from the inside - two layers - and used the sealant. Seems to be holding air nicely. I only need about 100km out of it!
The inner tube was splitting at the hole I patched. Faulty inner tube. I carried that thing across the country and it never would have worked.
I booked a flight out of DTW tomorrow evening ... I really want to go home now.
