Bright winter sun 6°C, brisk S.

I rode The Jake with MapMyRide+! Distance: 26.48km, time: 01:51:48, pace: 4:13min/km, speed: 14.21km/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/2676806983

A fine muddy, squelchy start along the canal into early low sun. At 6 or 7 miles, the squelching turned to a soggy back wheel. A puncture.

Since its a Slime inner-tube, I tried pumping it up in the hope it would seal itself. It soon went flat again and left me in the open with a heavy shower threatening. I decided to run for a while. At the next bridge, under shelter, I had a go at changing the tube. The new tube went flat in only 100m. No choice but to put the slime tube back in. That didn’t hold much pressure either. So onto the next bridge. Much further this time, well over a mile of running.

There are deeper puddles to wash wheel and hands. Then, a minibus from an autism charity pulled up. It had a trailer of bikes in tow. The driver lent me a track pump which is so much easier than a stupid little frame pump.

I got a good 2 miles on that 60psi. When it ran flat, I ran again. The last few miles was repeated re-inflations. Along the way was police looking for an abandoned railway’station and a friendly cyclist who offered a tube.

I arrived home, arms shaking from all that pumping (stop sniggering at the back).

Now the bike is in the garage cleaned and gears tuned, the tyre has decided to hold pressure now, how about doing that on the trail?. I don’t trust it though.