A lack of talc was the least of my problems

This year's 400km ride did not go as planned. The winds were very gusty even as we headed out at 5:00 am. While the NW wind pushed us south, any westerly travel was positively mind-numbing. Still, I was feeling pretty good at mile 120. I was on pace for my quickest 200km ever, when my front tire flatted. I joked to Andrew that, due to an oversight, my spare tube wasn't packed in talc, but that was not so much a problem as the seemingly bad valve which caused the spare to flat right away. No patch kit either. So I was, as the French would say, MOL. Fortunately, my mobile support team was able to rescue me, but I was disappointed at not being able to finish, though I think I could have.

So my plan now is to go ahead and ride the 600km on the 29th and make up the 400km at the end of June. The first setting for the 600km is the better bet because there will be more riders - hopefully Andrew will ride with me again - for the lonesome miles. And doing the 400km in June might be a good bet - if the heat is not too bad - because I'll have an earlier start and slightly more daylight. I'm going to switch the Rando bike over to Gatorskin tires, they're easier to change and seem just as durable as those damnable Vittoria tires. And you can bet I'll have at least two spare tubes and a patch kit when I leave Edwardsville. If the weather is predictably sunny for the 400km, I might try it on the "race bike" which has a more sprightly ride. Rode that bike today for 55 hilly miles and had a great time.