My cycling training has been going well. I have an 11.5-mile loop in my neighborhood that includes several steep climbs that have been challenging. I ride that loop once a week, and have improved steadily, which is gratifying.

Today, however, was a little more challenging. It’s a “good news, bad news” story.

The good news is, I was able to ride up all the steep climbs. When I first rode these hills I had to stop and walk on three of them. Each week I reduced the number of walks and shortened the length. Today, I rode them all.

The bad news is, I had two tip-over accidents and two flat tires.

Since I’m no longer trying to be a “racer”, I don’t eat while riding. I will stop for a minute or two to ingest an energy gel, then continue. I stopped at my regular halfway mark for a gel. It being a humid day and me being especially sweaty, I took off my riding glasses and hung them from the handlebar so they wouldn’t fog up. I forgot to put them back on when I started again. Right after getting clipped in, the glasses fell from the handlebar to the pavement. I did not run over them with the front wheel, but the back wheel was heading right for them. I stopped immediately, tried to unclip but could not, so resigned myself to falling over. I was at the edge of the road and I fell on my back on the grass, so no big deal.

Continuing on the ride, I climbed Northside drive, then rode along Mount Vernon Highway (an old road built along a ridge line, so nearly flat), flew down Powers Ferry Road, then left on Mount Vernon Parkway for some more climbing. Climbed halfway up, then turned right on Idlewood so I could climb Whitner Drive, the steepest climb on my route.

Just as I neared the beginning of the climb, I heard “pew! Ssff, ssff, ssff, ssff”. I had a flat. I was both surprised and disappointed as I’ve been using Mt. Tuffy tire liners for years and had never had any puncture flats.

I looked for the offending object, but could not find anything, either on the road or in my rear tire.