2005 Night and Day by Erik Brooks – 7 hour solo biker

The short version of my story is this – I was going great for 5 hours,
getting about 400 points per hour, and then a major tire failure made
my bike unrideable, so I retired.

Longer version:
I remembered that last year Eric and Terry had stated that a very
fit 7 hour biker or 16 hour running could get to all the points. I'd
made it to 2/3 of the points as a 7 hour biker then – maybe this year
would be easier, so I made up a plan that included trying to get to
every point. I knew that I'd reassess as I went, and boy, oh boy, did
I ever need to do that. I'd probably have done a bit better if I'd
had a more realistic outlook during the planning time. And I used
every minute of planning time, too.

I started off to the NE, and at the point near Carkeek Park, I turned
south and did Golden Gardens, the Locks, all of Magnolia. Then I did
Downtown, and I went as far South as #102. Then I did the entire
Southern map that lays East of I-5. I'd initially planned from then
to do all of Queen Anne, but it was past the halfway point, time wise,
and it didn't seem smart to go there, since I'd done little of the
northern map. So I crossed North on the University Bridge, got the
hundred pointer at Gas Works, and started my northern sweep.

That took me pretty close to the start/finish area again, and it was
fortunate, in a way, that I was there when I suffered a very loud
blowout while descending a steep but thankfully short hill. I got
myself stopped without drama, took the tube out, and inspected the
places where I normally suffer flats (the tread area), but I didn't
look closely at the sidewall. I inserted a new tube and inflated
that. I set the wheel and tire down while I gathered up the pump and
other stuff. Then "Bang!" again, and the new tube was blown.

Now I knew I was in trouble. I took it apart again and found the
problem this time. The little sidewall hole was just large enough for
a small part of tube to poke out and it wasn't supported by the tire
and it exploded. I patched the tire from the inside, and attempted
patching both tubes, but the holes were each the size of a dime, and
also were less than an inch from the valve – a harder place to patch.

I've done probably 50 successful tire repairs (bike commuter), but
these were too difficult. I could ride the bike maybe 1 minute between
stops to add more air again. So retiring seemed like the wise option.
At the finish, Eric told me that I could continue on foot, and I
considered that for a moment, but my shoes weren't the best for it.

I had a good time, anyway, and look forward to more of these. – Thanks
Eric and Terry!