(Insert Flatulence Joke Here)

Bike 2: 264.6; 27.0

But four miles of that was walking the bike with a flat rear tire (again).

I was just starting to feel proud of having replaced the tube with some degree of competence when, after 22 miles, I felt a sort of "bap!" like when you go off a curb, but I was just going over a small (maybe 1-inch) notch in the concrete. Seconds later, the tire was flat.

I attempted at one point to get some air into it, but of course I had not read or otherwise received detailed instrux on the hand pump I got with the bike and so was doing it wrong, and was entirely unable to get the pump to attach to the stem.

This, and the fact that I have not lost a single ounce of weight in now 600 miles of biking in 57 days... very discouraging. At least I have an extra tube now, and I have every reason to hope I will eventually get it right if I get enough practice from the multiple flats I am sure to have. I only hope I actually got the wheel itself back on the bike properly so THAT doesn't come flying off unexpectedly.

I get SUCH a sense of despair when I can't get a mechanical thing to work properly--and that seems to be every time I ever have to try to get a mechanical thing to work properly.

Anyway, walked four miles to bike shop, which happens to be on the way home, bought two tubes and got some guidance, and was able to ride the rest of the way home. I have NO confidence the same thing won't happen again, but hey, I got home, and I'll be a little better off next time, right?