TIRES – Who would have thought they would be so important?! Yes, of course, we all rely on our car tires to transport us to work, school, or our everyday obligations. Yet in most normal circumstances, our tires are durable, impervious, and reliable.

When crossing the country, tires become the all-important feature of transportation. Especially on a bicycle when there aren’t many other components to break down. There are so many obstacles to smooth sailing, or biking, when traversing the continent. The paperclips that have punctured the tires, the hair-thin wires that create a problem over a few days, the gravel that also punctures, and the mud that cakes the tires making it a sludge fest to get through.

Even the rescue van had the inevitable tire blow out! There we were, launching Alec and Jamie with the daily “Have fun, stay safe,” only to return to the van sporting a full-on flat tire. Had Kelly not been with me, I would have sat down and cried. It was Labor Day weekend in the most remote part of Missouri and even AAA could not find a towing company to help. Kelly located I-70 Towing and Captain Melvin saved the day by picking us up, driving the minivan 20 miles away, and donating his services to top things off.

Every day we count our blessings when we make it through with all four bike tires, plus the four on the minivan, intact. Yet experience has shown that no matter what happens, we will find kind folks that will help us repair the tires and keep moving forward on our journey.

From here to a cure,

Cristy