RecumBum

2007 Katy Trail Ride, Day #2: Sedalia to Columbia

Any day that ends in a SAG-in is not a good day.

The day started off nicely enough, with a ride through Sedalia city streets followed by a long stretch on gently rolling terrain among farms and trees. The weather was cool but sunny, with a bit of a tailwind. It was nearly perfect cycling weather.

We had lunch in a Boonville cafe, crossed the Missouri River on the highway bridge (while viewing the old railroad bridge), and began cycling the river bottoms among corn and soybeans.

As we lost the trees and cycled in the open sun, Rob’s energy level seemed to drop immediately, and it took us forever to reach the next SAG stop at Davisdale. We’d cycle for a bit, then he’d fall behind. We’d stop for a brief rest, then push on once more. This happened again and again.

We passed Salt Creek, where the trail ran beneath a highway bridge, and hundreds of swallows had built mud nests in the bridge undergirding, and flitted around as they brought food to their young. Bluffs then rose sharply on our left, offering nice scenery after the long ride through the cropland.

As I rode along looking up at the bluffs, I heard a sudden “POP”, followed by a quick hiss, and the unmistakable feeling of a flat rear tire.

It wasn’t just a flat though, it was a blowout. Examining the tire, I found a gash in the sidewall about a third of an inch long.

I upended the bike and got to work fixing the flat as riders passed by and asked if I needed help. A few minutes later a Park Ranger car came down the trail. By this time I had the old tube out and had replaced it with a fresh tube. As I set up my mini pump to air it up, the Ranger asked if I’d like to use his floor pump. I accepted and proceeded to air up the tire. I soon discovered that the tube was protruding from the gash in the tire. Time for a boot.

I opened my wallet and pulled out a dollar bill, folding it in half. I used this to cover the hole in the tire, and once again reseated the tire and pumped up the tube. It held. I could see the dollar bill through the gash in the sidewall, but it was good enough to make it to Rocheport, where there was a bike shop.

(I’d read about the dollar bill boot technique online, but had never had occasion to try it out. It works!)

I gingerly made my way into Rocheport and pulled into the bike shop. I started to ask if they could replace my tire, but discovered that the tech was deaf. This made it a little hard to communicate, but I eventually got through after he rounded up his young assistant, who fortunately could both hear and speak.

They did some looking, and eventually found a replacement tire. They didn’t have another Prima Racer, or even anything similar, but found me a Kenda Komfort 26″ x 1.95″, 40-65 PSI tire. This is a fatter and lower-pressure tire than my old one, but I had little choice, so took it.

Since the tire was fatter, I also needed a new tube, as well as a back-up tube. Byt the time all was said and done, it was nearly $35, and took over an hour. On top of that, they messed up my rear brake somehow, it it only works at about 10% capacity now.

So I wasn’t very impressed with the competence of the Trailside Cafe & Bike Shop. Yes, they got me back on the trail, but they weren’t very fast, nor did they do a very good job.

While we were waiting for the tire to be changed, Rob looked at the seats they had in stock, and found a big ‘ol wide one. I was dubious, but the one he had was giving him fits, so it was worth a try.

After all that, it was after 4:00 pm, and there was no way to make it to Columbia by the 5:00pm cut-off time. So we accepted a ride from a SAG volunteer, who drove us and our bikes to the campsite in Columbia.

I wasn’t very happy about cutting our day short, but Rob was thrilled. He later confessed that just before my blowout, he’d been praying for a miracle to get him through the rest of the ride. Gee, thanks for hexing me, Rob.

But in the end, it was probably for the best. At the pace he was going, I don’t think he would have made it anyway, and if he had, he might have been toast for the rest of the trip. As it was, he got his reprieve, and he now has a chance to rest up for our 55+ mile ride tomorrow.

Totals: 51.03 miles, 4:52:01 ride time, 10.49 MPH average

Shadows and Sunlight on the Katy Trail

Old Katy Bridge at Boonville

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