So I’m just going to pretend yesterday didn’t happen.  I’ve been running like a maniac, trying to get ready for Cycle N. C.  Part of my agenda for this ride is to share it with my daughter’s class, so yesterday I went to talk to the students about the route and my preparations and so on.  I went out to the garage to put air in my tires–I was planning to ride to school–and my front tire went flat.  The stem somehow separated from the tube.  Hmm.  Plan B–throw the bike in the car and drive to school.

So last night I figured it was time for some tube-changing practice.  I was getting dinner ready, and I sat down in the middle of the kitchen floor with my front wheel.  It took me 20 minutes to change it.  No kidding.  This is apparently not my strong suit.  I was getting exceedingly cranky, and I was trying to fill the tube with my frame pump, thinking I needed the practice.  I got it nice and tight, and went to pull the pump off, and the valve came off with it and shot across the room.  Instant flat tire.  Unbelievable.  My daughter pointed out, very wisely, that perhaps I needed to take a break and eat something before I tried again.  She was right.  The good news is that the second tube only took me twelve minutes.  I think that’s reasonable progress, don’t you?

So I think I’ve done everything I can do to be ready to ride across the state, even down to practicing my flat-tire skills.  Today I washed every stitch of dirty laundry in the house.  I packed all my camping gear, bike clothes, and warm jammies into ziploc bags.  I have two great huge duffel bags packed and ready to go–we’re limited to two bags, 40 lbs. each.  Mine weigh 30 and 38, so I figure I’ve even packed light!  My husband has written out fabulous instructions that will hopefully enable me to update the blog from public libraries, or even from my cell phone in a pinch.

So I’ll be off early tomorrow morning, on a bus to Banner Elk.  I’ll try and post an update every day, so check back here.