[kramnamhoh]

The KLR is waaay overloaded. I've got to get rid of some of this stuff before I resume trip into Mexico. Poor KLR slows down to 60ish over a mountain pass at 6000+ ft. I'm starting to wonder how it's going to do at 15,000 ft through the Andes.

I head south into a strong headwind and the KLR struggles along. This is my first trip fully loaded with the givi bags on the side. Headwinds really bog it down. I was getting around 50mpg before this, and now am thinking that the back way through north Nevada may not have been the best idea.

The highway turns east so I'm not fighting the headwind, but the KLR is still struggling. WTF??? All of sudden, there is a vibration from the rear tire, and it dawns on me why the KLR is struggling. I've got my first flat!! I've made it all of 79 miles before it's flat.

I stop and check my phone. No cell coverage, so no rescue from AAA. I have a spare tube, and I need the practice, so I decide to change the tire myself. I'm not too excited about the idea, because I don't know what I'm doing, and I screwed it up last time and pinched the tube.


A few hours later, i find out that my patch over the previously pinched tube had failed. I get the new one in and....find out that I've pinched tube #2 also. I suck at this tire change thing. Fortunately, it's a slow leak. I can make it about an hour at a time before I have to stop and air up the tire.

The people of north Nevada are so nice. Almost everyone stops to see if I am ok. I got multiple offers of help, rides into town, and one family was going to come by after dark to see if I was still there. They offered a place to stay and dinner!!

So...off I go again....