A puncture on Energitrampet

(Thanks Clifford for this picture taken at the finish line)

At the point where I was furthest from both start and finish I was unpleasantly surprised to feel the unmistakable hardness of the road as it was now hitting the metal of my back wheel following a puncture. These modern tyres are supposed to have a puncture resistant layer made of Kevlar, the stuff they make bullet proof vests of.

The must have been some 'sharper than bullets' grit on the roads, because I lost count of the number of cyclists I saw beside the road with punctures.

I thought that I was near the next watering depot, so since I didn't have my little tool kit, with its tyre leavers I rode and walked on. But after a while I realised that it wasn't just down the next slope, so I stopped and tried to change the tyre. I discovered that a key will work as a tyre leaver, and was able to change in about the normal time. The little pump I carry with me can't (not with my arm muscles) manage to get the pressure up to the full 6Bar, but it was good enough to get me home. I discovered that I hadn't put the tyre on properly, and it was a bit irregular, making the ride a bit bumpy, when the road surface was good, which isn't very much of this route! So I have to sort that out today, before the next adventure.

Up until Köping (about 50km) I was doing very well. I went with the 'medium' group and had an average of bit over 30kph. We seemed to be in one big pack up to that point. We had a rather long wait just before Köping while the motorbikes that were riding round lake Mälaren (seemed like thousands of them) went past. When we got out onto the road again, we had a few km in their company, which I was glad to loose.

My average speed, including the walking parts, all the time on my own and the gentle ride home afterwards with Margie, was about 25kph.

Margie got round in reasonable time, which was perhaps better than expected considering the fact that she's done very little training this year. Although we both swim twice a week, so she's not unfit by any means.

To my surprise not only was Margie waiting for me at the finish, but also Clifford and Lisabeth. So I can expect a high quality picture (or two) of me as I arrived.

I'd put sun-tan lotion on my arms and legs, which weren't burnt at all, but forgotten my head. It isn't burnt, but I didn't feel too good last night, which I think was caused by the sun rather than anything else.

I've now done 972km of the 1000km recommended for Vätternrundan, so with next week's Halvvättern (150km) I'll be more prepared than I've ever been before! Let's just hope I don't have any more punctures!

One thing lacking from Energitrampet's depots is 'salt gurka' (small cucumber/large gherkins in salt). These are available at all the Vätternrundan depots, and whilst I very seldom eat them during the rest of the year, I always want some while cycling. I have never had cramp except when cycling Energitrampet, I wonder if there's a connection?