skiphunt
0
I was doing my best to try and make it home in time for my wife's birthday and left early this morning from the desert. A cold front moved in and it was about 35F, but I rode anyway. About 30 miles out of the little town my tire blew out. I tried to put air in it but the tube was shredded. So, I road about 10 miles very slow on the flat tire, but it detroyed the inside of the tire. There was a Mexican man in the next town in an electric wheelchair who tooled around the town looking for a tire that would work without luck. I was pretty surreal while watching a parapelegic crawling around in the dirt trying to repair my tire, etc. (in spite of everything... it was so surreal I had to take a photo for the site)
He then tried his best to repair the tire with an old piece of tire tubing and a spare tube I carried with me. He said it was dangerous to ride on it, but it might get me to Saltillo where I might find a tire that would fit.
I road slow for about 45 miles when it blew out again and I had to ride on it flat for another couple of miles until I found this little shack shop that repairs car tires along the highway between Matehuala and Saltillo. They got the tire off and said it couldn't be fixed, and then went back to drinking their beers. It was REALLY in the middle of nowhere, no rooms, nothing. I asked if one of them might help me, so one of the drunks said he'd take me to Matehuala for $60. I told him if he would take me and the bike to Matehuala in his pickup, drop the bike off at a shop, and me at a hotel, that I would give him $50. He said $55 and I said "done". I don't know why I was negotiating with him. He knew I was basically screwed and would have to pay whatever he asked.
So, we found a shop and the guy thinks he can either repair the tire (not my preference since I still have 700 miles to go) or find a used one, or I might have to buy a new one (which is about 3 times what they cost in the States).
Anyhow, I obviously won't make it home by the 13th. At the moment, it just keeps getting worse. Keep in mind I still have the other electrical problems too, and my chain keeps falling off because it's stretched.
In any case, I do plan on getting home one way or another. If this guy can fix the tire tomorrow (can't do it today because it's Sunday and none of the tire shops are open)... I should be back by the 14th.. if nothing else goes wrong.
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He then tried his best to repair the tire with an old piece of tire tubing and a spare tube I carried with me. He said it was dangerous to ride on it, but it might get me to Saltillo where I might find a tire that would fit.
I road slow for about 45 miles when it blew out again and I had to ride on it flat for another couple of miles until I found this little shack shop that repairs car tires along the highway between Matehuala and Saltillo. They got the tire off and said it couldn't be fixed, and then went back to drinking their beers. It was REALLY in the middle of nowhere, no rooms, nothing. I asked if one of them might help me, so one of the drunks said he'd take me to Matehuala for $60. I told him if he would take me and the bike to Matehuala in his pickup, drop the bike off at a shop, and me at a hotel, that I would give him $50. He said $55 and I said "done". I don't know why I was negotiating with him. He knew I was basically screwed and would have to pay whatever he asked.
So, we found a shop and the guy thinks he can either repair the tire (not my preference since I still have 700 miles to go) or find a used one, or I might have to buy a new one (which is about 3 times what they cost in the States).
Anyhow, I obviously won't make it home by the 13th. At the moment, it just keeps getting worse. Keep in mind I still have the other electrical problems too, and my chain keeps falling off because it's stretched.
In any case, I do plan on getting home one way or another. If this guy can fix the tire tomorrow (can't do it today because it's Sunday and none of the tire shops are open)... I should be back by the 14th.. if nothing else goes wrong.
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