About 10 miles west of Los Cruces I went through a border patrol checkpoint on I-10. It was surreal to do so on a bike. They just waved me through.
It was a great day for riding with the air cool and the sun out but its heat muted by passing clouds. All day long I was happy that my tires were holding out, until about 5 miles from Deming my back tire went low on air. I decided to just add air and ride fast so i could wait to change it once I found my lodging for the night.
At the Motel 6 off the first exit in Deming, I ate, worked on some student grad school recommendations, then sat on the curb of a gas station so I could hitchhike on the La Quinta internet. When I finally got around to fixing the flat I noticed that my rear wheel was no longer true. it was wobbly and rubbing against the rear fender. I spent some time trying to adjust it but to no avail. A quick look on the internet revealed that there were not any bike shops for miles and miles around. I took off and discarded the rear fender and decided I had no choice but to try and ride it into Tucson--2 days away.
I had an ambitious day planned for Wednesday. My goal was to go 135 miles to Willcox, AZ. The wobbly wheel felt okay but my speed was decreased by this and the steady upwards climb as I once again passed over the Continental Divide. Ni modo, I thought. I'll just go slow and steady and get there by 8:00 or so. Oh, before I forget, about 15 mils from Deming I realized that I'd left my KamelBak in the motel. No way am I goin back, I thought. I didn't think it prudent to add 30 miles (2 to 2.5 hours or more) to my trip on an already long day. I made a note to drink and refill my water bottles at every stop. I actually felt lighter and cooler without this on my back.
And then it happened. I had my first flat of the day about 5 miles from the Tucson state line. No problem, I had three more tubes. Well, even though I'd added a new tire liner for flat protection the night before I started having a series of flats that made me adjust my goals for the day. By the time I go to San Simon, I'd used all my tubes and was riding and then adding air every 10-15 minutes. I ended up walking the bike in the last 5 miles to a truck stop on the far side of San Simon. Small town. Very small. No lodging. Ok, at least there was a 24 hour truck stop. After several hours of resting, eating, and piddling with the bike some more, I realized I was stuck for the night and went behind a vacated gas station and set up my tent in the desert brush. It was cool, but ultimately ok. I was more worried about getting hassled by some of the multitude of border patrol in the area than I was animal life--though the next day I was to learn that there are lots of wild javelina in the area. What you don't know can't scare you. I got up before seven the next morning, ate breakfast and showered at the truck stop and tried to look at my problem from a fresh perspective. The tire shop next door said there was nothing they could do for me so I set up a sign asking for a ride on my bike and called Sandy in Tucson to let her know that I might need a ride. One of the clerks told me that if I didn't get a ride by 2:00 when she got off work, she'd take me 35 miles up the road to Willcox. So that's what happened. It was rainy and very cool all day. I finished reading Running with Scissors while I waited for Sandy and Miranda to come get me after their classes--about 6:00. Once again, I ended up not making it all the way into the city on my own leg power--this time due to mechanical problems.
I'm in Tucson now. The rear wheel had to be replaced again. Turns out the one I got in San Antonio was only a single wall frame and it was warped beyond repair. Picked up a new rear tire for good measure and more tubes of course. I am tired and frustrated beyond belief with these ongoing problems. The only consolation I get is to learn that it's not something I'm doing that causing the problem. Met a young woman working at Ordinary Bicycle Shop here in Tucson who told me about a solo trip she took this summer from Columbus, Ohio to Tucson. I gave her my info and asked her to write me so I could link her MySpace page to the blog. This is where she kept the blog of her trip.
More on what I'm doing here next entry.
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