Snake Bit

A late night in front of the computer made it hard to crawl out of bed this morning.  I glanced over at the outdoor thermometer and heard myself mumble, "damn!"  The temperature was around 80F and there was already a strong and humid south wind blowing.  I figured it would be a hard ride.

I arrived at the levee meeting spot to find the usual group engaged in the recently popular discussion about the impending bike path closure.  No new news there, so we headed out into the darkness. I knew that the strong south wind would eventually take its toll, particularly once we got to a crosswind area, but for the first few miles all was going smoothly until we came to the access road that leads to the place that sells rocks.  This is a big operation that ships in all sorts of big and small rocks and piles them up according to size to be loaded onto trucks for, I don't know, whatever people do with rocks.  Anyway, I had just pulled off of the front and was second from the back of the paceline as we crossed the road when I heard that lovely rhythmic hissing sound.  I'd nailed an unseen rock dead on in the darkness and pinch-flatted, resulting in the classic "snake bite" hole pattern in the inner tube.  Considering the time of year, perhaps we should call these "vampire bites" this week.  It was way too early to ask the whole group to stop and wait while I fumbled around in the darkness trying to change tubes by feel, so I just slid quietly out the back and coasted to a stop.  I took my time changing the flat. I mean, it was windy and dark and I was tired, so I figured the flat was A SIGN.  Once I got rolling again I just cruised along at an easy pace and soon I started seeing riders who had been in the group coming back in ones and twos.  A number of them had turned around early.  Eventually I saw the bulk of the group coming my way.  They had turned around early too.  So I made a quick U-turn and got into the paceline for the return trip.

On my way home I passed a film crew (they don't really use film any more, do they?) setting up on Oak Street at the Rue de la Course coffee shop.  There was already a long buffet line set up.  Those guys sure do eat well.  You'd think they would just have gotten breakfast at the coffee shop.  I mean after all, they were right there.  Anyway, I have no idea what they were setting up for.  It could have been a movie, or perhaps some sort of reality show thing.  I heard that there was a film crew on Tulane's campus recently, so perhaps it had something to do with that.  The university often works out deals with movie companies so that they can film scenes on campus.