I'm not writing about music. I'm writing about sharp objects that cause flat tires. An unusual topic, but one with specific application to our stay here at The Great Passion Play.
In 1982, I was in serious training for the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon and in 1983 for the Race Across AMerica (RAAM), a 3200 mile coast-to-coast competitive bicycle race. In literally thousands of miles of bicycling during those two years I had a minimum of flat tires and during both races did not have a single flat tire. However, while training for the 1984 RAAM, I had so many flat tires, I was forced to stop my training and not enter the Race that year. I recall one evening after a flat-ridden training ride having a flat in my front tire as I rode up the driveway of our Lakewood, Colorado home. The next morning as I rode down the driveway, I had a flat in the rear tire. As a non-believer at that time, I'm sure the language was quite colorful and not fit for repeating here. Frustration caused me to stop my training and opened the opportunity for Karen and I to be crew members for one of the1984 competitors who was less flat-prone.
This year, here at the Passion Play we are having a tremendous flat tire problem. It's not thorns, thistles or nails causing the problem, it's the plentiful and sharp Arkansas rocks which are the problem. We are dealing with tires on cars, pickups, trailers, golf carts, busses, ATV's, backhoes, tractors and mowers and the number of flats is extremely high. We are dealing with older vehicles, tires which have seen better days and have been plugged numerous times already and with budgets being what they are for individuals and the Play, we are getting very skilled at plugging tires while they are on the vehicle or replacing a flat with a recently plugged tire of similar size. There is not a single vehicle which can boast of a matching set of tires or even tires of similar width or diameter. Our motor home does have 6 new tires, but I'd rather not spend more time telling of our repair expenditures in the first year of owning our RV. That brings up sharp emotions and a flatter wallet. Enough said.
We don't have much choice but to plug the tire and plug ahead with the chores at hand. There are times we feel like a pit crew at a NASCAR race since we do have to get the vehicles "back in the race" and into service. We're on the home stretch of our time here at TGPP, and we can see the end of the tire problems. Thank God we have an extended service contract on the motor home with roadside assistance and a tire repair/replace clause and insurance which covers the same for our car. How blessed and grateful we are.
Sent from my iPad
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