Colorado New...not so nice... Find

I just love bike riding. I love the places one can go and see while on their bike. In Colorado there is a nemesis to bike riders... the dreaded GOAT HEAD...per Wikipedia "Tribulus terrestris -The nutlets or "seeds" are hard and bear two to three sharp spines, 10 mm long and 4–6 mm broad point-to-point. These nutlets strikingly resemble goats' or bulls' heads; the "horns" are sharp enough to puncture bicycle tires and to cause painful injury to bare feet." My tires found several of these "nutlets" on my last bike ride around the community here. I know exactly where I encountered them...but did not know the lethal impact they would have on my tire. Flatter than flat! I will never ever walk around barefooted now that I have seen the results to my bicycle tire. YIKES!

So off to the bike shop to see what could be done....at home Jack had found two of these little spikes in my tire...the fixit man found 2 or 3 more. We live where they "populate". Hmmm. So he replaced the tube and provided some automatic fill the hole when it happens stuff and strongly encouraged buying a brand of tire called "Armadillo" - very expensive but almost always effective against the Goat Head, and nearly every bike rider in Colorado has them. The bike shop folks were awesome. Gave us a newbie discount, a welcome to Colorado discount and lots of advise on where would be great rides. Scott our friendly chatty gray haired understanding our plight and ages sales guy recommended Breckenridge for a wonderful not too challenging ride along side the river there. Fourteen miles downhill. I think it sounds great. Jack is somewhat more hesitant to do Colorado trail riding in the mountains. This is not a mountain trail per se, I presume similar to the Stowe VT bike trail.

So there you have it. A new awakening as it were, and frankly, I am thankful that my bicycle tire was first to encounter this stabbing experience.

Grace and peace to all