Northern MN: Day 10

Help When Needed!

Beautiful ride today.
Great ride temperature,
Good roads, light traffic,
Helpful breezes.

View of lakes,
Roadside flowers.
All good.

Returning to town,
One mile from lodging.
Bike sounds "funny / different".
For me, that is first indication of
Flat tire!

Stopped and squeezing increasingly flat tire,
Guy on motorcycle pulls out of driveway,
Up beside me.

"That doesn't look good.
I have pump, so you can get a ways down road."
He dashes to garage / shed for pump,
Pumps tire.
Then talks until tire is flat again.

Really social guy,
Who likes helping.
Especially bicyclists and canoe-ers.
Conoe-ers come ashore from Mississippi River,
Just across road.

Charles Jackson, who is the angel-for-my-day,
Offers showers, help of any kind,
MUCH conversation & history of his life.

By time Charles paused his stories,
Tire flat again.

"As soon as we pump this flat,
Go immediately to shop of
Tire Tom."

I pedaled furiously to Tire Tom's place.
Got there just as flat again.

Tire Tom fixes all kinds of tires,
Bicycle tires the unusual job.
Been in business thirty years.
Took over from Dad's tire business of forty years.
He knows his trade.

Bob went to motel via bicycle,
To our car.
Where our bike tire pump
With Presta valve attachment,
Stowed in trunk.

While I waited,
Tire Tom had half dozen jobs come in.
Lucky me to have him take my work immediately.

Tom told me later,
"My Dad always told me to be nice to the ladies."
Dad's words took.
I benefitted today.

Today the Help came to me!
It was amazing to have people, pumps, tradesman
Show up to help.

Lucky, lucky, I am.

Fabulous help,
Great ride,
Wonderful day.

Hugs, to each, 
Lin