After an easy morning with very little rain I spent a couple of hours having lunch with a friend in Munich. Then it started to pour! The Isar cycle route is lovely and in the centre of Munich it was tarmacked but then later just gravel and dirt. The further I went the more the track turned into 2 streams with a bit of grass in the middle. Slow going! Then I was only 4 Kilometers from Freisng calculated max. 15 Mins. and I knew not far after that, when something felt funny at the rear. I looked back and couldn’t see anything, but the tyre felt a bit soft. Then my back wheel seemed to skid and there was no air in it any more! Oh dear, what now? Although I had only last week changed the back tube and repaired the spare, there was no way I would do it in torrential rain with nowhere to prop my bike, nowhere dry to put my luggage, so I chose to walk 4 miles – not an easy task with a flat tyre and luggage! Then…. The track came out of the woods to a 4-way junction with 3 signs. Should I go to Station or to unsignposted? But then I saw a man walking towards me with a wheel in his hand, so I waited and asked him where the bike shop is. Another 15 Mins. walk, but then HE OFFERED TO HELP ME and it had stopped raining. So tube replaced I got to the bike shop before 6, bought a new capsule, had more air put in, the hole found and marked for me to repair tomorrow and another 15 mins. to hotel. The beer was really good and lovely company. Then I enjoyed a hot shower and an excellent meal and am sitting in bed enjoying recounting my adventure…
Tuesday 22nd July, 71’05 Kms. 119 metre climb, 5:22:22 bike time