YTD – 3934
MTD – 426
Today – 43
We planned an ambitious route today heading out to pick up Farnsley Knob (0.40 miles, avg. gradient – 15.7%!). Its been a year or so since I climbed it and I was ready to pay a visit. Coming out of N’albany was a little zany and after a few passes of the close nature I drifted into the shitty, unfinished shoulder on 111 as we made for Budd Road. No sooner than “gee, I’ll be lucky to not get a flat” ran through my head I heard the mighty escape of air and went flat on the rear tire. After getting to a nice shaded spot I pulled the rear tire off to find a blown out sidewall and 3/8″ hole in the tube…this baby was flat. Now we were only 3 miles into 25 so I had a decision to make. I said “hey man, you got a buck?” he says “I got a 20″, “That’ll do, lemme have it…you’ll get it back!”
We pumped the tire up and cautiously took off. On the plus side it was one of my finest and I even managed to get the tire back in without looking and feeling like a rank amateur. I’m glad to say it held just fine although it made for nervous descents. Speaking of descending we came down Blunk Knob for the first time and despite thinking it would be the other way its a pretty shitty drop down. The pavement sucks, the turns are real tight with no banking, and no guardrails or anything in case you misjudge. Just too sketchy in the end to enjoy coming down. I’m leaving it on the climb preferred list only. That Farnsley Knob though? That’s a doozy…
Here is the final damage on the way to the scrap bin:
I have mis-matched tires now…oh – the horror!
