Month: November 2026

Now that the time has fallen back, it is bright enough out not to need a headlight; the flasher will do. The temp was in the 40s, so I layered up. When I went to roll the bike out of the shed, it was instantly obvious I wasn’t riding the bike for the usual loop with breakfast at the end. The front tire was practically two-dimensional, AKA flat.

I went back inside and stripped the cycling togs off and put on some street clothes. I was still going to get my Stomping Grounds experience. I didn’t get in the car, though I decided to walk the 3-mile loop that had at its center a latte & muffin. That didn’t take long. My latte’s sleeve was red, not the usual green, and it had a bit of holly printed on it too.

I rode the bike just last Sunday, so it is not a slow leak. But the leak wasn’t big either, or I’d have heard it when I put the bike away then. I brought the bike inside and inspected the tire, looking for a puncture, and saw nothing. I filled the bathtub with several inches of water and found out the air was coming from right around the stem. In the 2-1/2 months I’ve had the bike, I’ve only ever topped off the pressure once in there somewhere. These are tubeless tires, so I have no way to patch anything. I think I’ll take the bike to the bike store and see what I need to be able to fix a flat on the road. It’s almost time for my first tune-up anyway.

I did run to the store this afternoon in the Miata to pick up a couple things I didn’t buy on Friday. Not long after pulling out on Sandy Blvd, I was passed by, in the opposite direction, a big Ford SUV. That didn’t take long. It was none other than Rudolph the Red-Nose Explorer with his fluffy crimson ball of yarn.