No ninth New Years Day Century

Ron Wallenfang

Starting with the Millenium year of 2000, I've done century rides 8
times on New Years day, and hoped to get a ninth today.

The weather forecast for Milwaukee was marginal - steady temps near 20
F, with strong northwest winds (25 to 35, with gusts to 40) and snow
showers with little or no accumulation. The temperature forecast
proved accurate but the winds were lighter than predicted, more like
10-20, I would say, with no gusts. There were a few flurries in the
air, but nothing really hit the ground.

I left home in Germantown - a northwest suburb - in the dark at 6:00
a.m. (sunup at 7:23), planning to ride southeast to and along the Lake
Michigan shoreline, hoping that the lake shore would be a little less
cold, and the city riding less windy. The downside of that plan is
that I'd have a headwind on the return trip. Unless a wind shift is
in the offing, I prefer to go outbound into the wind, and to return
with a tailwind.

Realizing that the wind was lighter than expected, I changed plans and
headed NNW, planning to turn around when I was tired of bucking the
headwind, and then riding into the City later. I continued on that
route for 36 miles, going through Jackson, West Bend and Kewaskum, and
beyond, about 6 1/2 miles into Fond du Lac County, but 16 miles short
of the City of Fond du Lac. The temperatures throughout ranged from
20 - 22 and the winds gradually increased. Though there was no new
snow, and most of what was already on the ground, which was plenty as
we had 30 inches of snow in December, was settled and hardened,
yesterday's dusting plus some of the old snow drifted over the road in
places on my mostly rural route. The drifts caused some fishtailing
but no falls, partly because I slow way down for them.

Being ready to enjoy some tailwinds for a while, I turned around 36
miles out, intending to ride 16 miles back to West Bend and have
breakfast, and then decide where to go from there. And so I rode
back through Kewaskum and past the Sunburst Ski Area, which was now
open and active, and headed on toward West Bend. At about 10:20,
after 49 miles of riding, it all came to a quick end. I heard a dull
pop, followed by a louder one, and immediately felt a flat back tire.

No big problem, was my first reaction, as I carry extra tubes and CO2
cartridges, and have changed tubes in the winter, though flats are
rare then (for reasons I wonder about - I might want to start a thread
on that subject someday), and it's hardly my favorite time to do so.

But a quick inspection showed my riding was over for the day. The
duller pop turned out to be a 3" section of wheel flange breaking
loose, and there's no fixing that or working around it. I need a new
rear wheel.

So I called my wife, who drove out to get me, picking me up at an
intersection about a mile from where I broke down. We were back home
by noon.

In theory, I could perhaps have gone out again with another bike, but
considerations of domestic tranquility make that idea a non-starter.

So this became my New Year's day 49 mile ride.