I hear ya both! I love to be especially nice to people when I drive my Porsche, because it's the last thing they expect. Most Porsche 911 drivers really don't want to uphold the Crazy Porsche Driver reputation, but unfortunately there's a few that ruin it for the rest of us.

Anyway, I went for a ride today. I went from cycling bliss to being a bit frustrated. I was trying out my new Vredestein Fortezza tires on the road bike. Boy they felt great! The tread is really sticky -- kind of like the tread on my Porsche tires. The bike just wanted to go -- up hills, down hills, it didn't matter. And the Brooks saddle on my road bike is pretty much broken in, and that felt great too. I was feeling so good that I did a couple of hill repeats.

And then I got a flat tire. Rear tire, of course. Oh well, I have the tools and ability to fix a flat. But it sure is different fixing one on the side of the road than in the comfort of your garage. For instance, you can't sip a beer as you're fixing the flat on the side of the road. And there's no good place to sit. And the trusty floor pump is not around, so you're stuck with the frame pump.

Got the tube patched, started to air it up to see if it would hold, and killed the valve stem. #&@%!! Put the spare tube on, got the tire re-seated, and started pumping. And pumping. And pumping. Still feels soft. Oh, and somewhere along the line I got a metal sliver in my thumb, so everytime I hit it just right, it gave me a friendy reminder. Great. Still pumping. Hmm, let's check the pressure guage to see how much pressure I have. Try not to lose too much air when you put the pressure guage on, because it's hard work getting the air in there! Oh, the pressure guage's battery is dead. Nice. Put the pump back on and keep pumping, but be careful -- you don't want to kill another valve stem.

I got it pumped up to about 40psi -- the Vredestein's call for 145psi. Low pressure is practically begging for another flat. Limped back to the car, trying to keep as much weight off the rear tire as possible.

Take home lessons:

1. Get a Topeak Road Morph pump -- it's TE Forum approved.
2. Carry the frame pump in the car.
3. Carry extra tubes in the car.

Kitsune, hope you feel better and don't encounter any more sarcastic road workers.

-- Melissa