Sat 2013/06/08

Start mile 5965.5 end 5997.9 Daily 32.56 Segment 183.6 Total 495.5

Route: Camden to Fordyce AR. Good breakfast at the hotel (in Camden).  Just after I started, I realized that I rode about 1.25 miles with yesterday’s numbers on the bike computer (adjusted accordingly).

I had a major problem with the rear tire near today’s half way point, and had to replace both the rear tire and tube with spares.  This time, I was at least able to do it in some shade.  Lots of poison ivy, but it was in the shade.  In paring things down for this trip, I wondered if I really needed a spare tire.  I now have the answer.

This is the third time I have had a major tire problem on a trip, and the second problem with this brand of tire.  I purchased the original tire, and after about 200 miles on it, had trouble with bulging on the sidewall during the 2012 MS150 (which I replaced with a gator skin at the halfway point/Saturday night stop).  The tire that I had trouble with today was an exchange/replacement, and I had put less than 100 miles on it.

Several friendly people stopped at 2 of my breaks.  Arkansas people are much different from those in Louisiana.  I had no lunch (well ok, granola bars), stayed at the Days Inn Fordyce, dinner at “Four Dice” buffet across the street.  I was starved, and ate more than I needed to.

Saddle sores are causing significant trouble.  I’m pretty much done because of that, but my poor planning with my airplane connection overrules that.  Well, I suppose it is a better excuse.  I figured out that the blister on my right thumb yesterday is from the shifter.  I didn’t realize I was shifting gears that much…

I will try to catch the bus back to Marshall tomorrow.  Greyhound sells tickets from here with no hint that it is a third party bus, but the hotel clerk says that the bus at the bus stop is a small commuter bus (not full size Greyhound) that merely takes you to the Malvern bus station.  Either way, tomorrow I hope to catch a ride back to Marshall TX.  The forecast also calls for more big storms tomorrow, which I hope to avoid.