Tonight, I SAGged out 4 miles short of the finish of the TAB Thursday night ride after suffering the third flat of the ride.  Well… technically, I only had 2 flats, but we re-inflated the tire after the second one and it held for about 2 miles before I noticed that it was flat again.  I let the group continue without me and I convinced myself that I would be walking the remaining four miles back to Sidecut park.  When I attempted to change the first flat, I discovered that the 16g CO₂ cartridge – that I’d just bought tonight at Wersell’s – didn’t fit in my CO₂ nozzle.  Lovely.  Luckily, someone else (didn’t catch his name and don’t remember him from other rides) was kind enough to lend me a CO₂ and their nozzle. When we stopped to refill the tire at the second opportunity, someone else – Rick Rump perhaps? – gave me another CO₂ and nozzle. Thank you both.

After the second flat, EVERY TAB rider that passed me as I walked back offered help. One even went to his house (nearby) and got his car to pick me up.  He was about 2 minutes too late as El Presidente, Rick Rump had already come back to get me.  We were lifting my bike onto Rick’s bike rack when the other SAG ride arrived.

After Rick dropped me at my car, I loaded the bike onto the bike-rack and joined about a dozen TAB riders for dinner at El Salto Authentic Mexican Restaurant.  Conversation and food were both really good.  Got to know Jim House a bit better.  He’s a nice guy and a great rider.

When I got home, I pulled out the tube from my still-flat front tire and the tube that I’d changed on the road and compared the holes to the tire.  Each hole was in a different spot.  The first one was a pinch flat on the sidewall.  The second flat was from a very small piece of glass that must have poked its way through.  It was still embedded in the tire but it was 99% on the outside of the tire.  Only one small point had poked through.  I think I’m done with flats for now, thank you very much.  I had a blow-out on my 13 meter Slingshot Fuel (kite) on Saturday, then I suffered a flat on Tuesday night on my ride with Chris.  Tonight’s ride was just the icing (two layers of icing!) on the cake.