Should Have Carried A Spare Tire

Bad weather around Pueblo CO, Latest roadkill favorite (very white teeth), many sunflower farms in western KS, Clarence

Despite Steve's best wishes I made it out of the Rockies in one piece. Friday morning was about as perfect as it gets; wind was coming from behind, road was bran new with an excellent shoulder, temperature right around 70'F, and great scenery. I admit the forecast and surrounding low black clouds were ominous and I knew I'd run into the storm at some point but that didn't happen till the afternoon. I crossed the Continental Divide for the 10th and final time at Current Creek at around 9500ft. By 2PM I had descended about 5000'ft Canyon City is where all hell broke loose. Pretty much per the weather forecast Steve posted. I made it to Pueblo that evening and got a hotel room. Saturday was rain off and on made it Eads, CO. Sunday was scattered rain again I made it to Scott City, KS and changed the clock to Central Time Zone. I'm still amazed at the level you witness the terrain and such change when traveling by bicycle. Eastern CO is pretty boring in every aspect, very dry and dusty. I'd been noticing over the last few days that my rear tire was shredding in a few places as result of the horrendous roads in eastern CO. Yesterday afternoon I began getting flat after flat but as I wasn't carrying a spare and no where to buy a new one I had to hope for the best. This morning 20 miles into the day my rear tire blew up. I was on a small rural road but within 10 minutes three different trucks stopped all with ideas on what to do. Very long story short I ended up spending the day with Clarence Bryant (what are the chances of that) a retired wheat farmer. At this point I'm only about 40 miles east of where I started the day but I've got two brand new tires and feel very good about the world after a day with Clarence. I'm loosely following the Trans America Bicycle Trail inaugurated in 1976 when several thousand bike enthusiast / flower power types set out from Astoria OR to Yorktown Virginia. Kansans very much remember that trip and to this day go out of their way to do anything in their power to help or make passing cyclists feel at home offering all types off assistance and encouragement. They are really great! I guess lesson for today should be carry a spare but if I had I wouldn't of got to spend the day with Clarence (I"m not carrying a spare).