Peggy & I rode the 123K LSR Wolfe Tracks route this morning. We arrived at our starting point(North End Grocery Store in Princeton) at 6:40am ,for a 7:00am start time. We noticed all the store lights were turned off as we arrived in the parking lot. We checked the store hours-6:30am-10:00pm-Saturday.
 
So Peggy & I waited for 15 minutes in the parking lot. No one showed up. We unloaded the bikes & rode to an Exxon gas station about 4 blocks from our starting point. As we returned  form the Exxon station ,we rode past the North End Grocery Store & noticed a person opening up the North End Grocery store(about 10 minutes late). I told Peggy "Forget about stopping-let's ride". This ride is an out & back from Princeton to Wolfe City.
 
 
Temperatures this morning were very mild for late December-55 degrees. It was very humid,the roads were covered in moisture & there was a stiff west wind blowing. Those two conditions made it just cool enough to ride with a light weight jacket & long riding pants.
 
After leaving Princeton ,we ride to Blue Ridge(this portion of the route is the same section as the Collin Classic pay ride ,on ly in the opposite direction). After Blue Ridge ,we rode through Frognot(no kidding) & onto our control in Celeste. We arrived with a 17.0 mph average ,for the 26.1 miles.
 
We made a short stop(chop-chop) & onto Wolfe City for the turnaround. This portion of the ride(Celeste to Wolfe City-12.2 miles is...how can I put this delicately...I can't ,it's B-R-U-T-A-L BOULDER SEAL & as you get approx. 3 miles from Wolfe City town square,it
become LOOSE chip seal. Approx. 5 miles from Wolfe City(on a section of the road that is half way decent in a "S" curve) ,I put some power to pedals at approx. 20+ mph & BAM...I hear this load noise.
 
My front wheel is traveling in one direction ,the rear another. I'm thinking "Oh  crap ,a flat. These are new tires." Negative on the flat. The wheel came loose away from the frame. Peggy was riding behind me & was trying to tell me that my tire was at an awkward angle.Too late, I didn't hear her(it was windy). No big deal . I flip the big over ,& the wheel falls right into the place. I lock the wheel down & off we go.
 
We arrive at Wolfe City to find the town square has been paved in paving bricks(uneven of course) & the dew from the humidity really made it fun. We arrived at the 3rd control 41+ minutes(for the 12.2 minutes). Quick turnaround(chop-chop) & head back to Celeste. Back onto the loose boulder seal(without incident this time). The wind was really blowing directly out of the west at 20+mph. Peggy & I were riding as hard as we could because we knew the "cold front" that was predicted would be arriving soon.
 
 
There are some challenging rollers on the way back to Celeste.A quick stop in Celeste(again) onto the finish. 25+ miles to go. As you get into Celeste,the road conditions improve dramatically(in a good way). Still chip/seal ,but worn relatively smooth. We're still riding into the stiff west wind.
 
We ride into Blue Ride(past our Dart control ) & finally ,we're riding out of the wind. There were several sections on this part of the ride that Peggy & I were cranking along at 25 mph. We heading back to Princeton(<10 miles to go).  
 
We arrive at the final control(North End Grocery store) at 12:30pm. 5.5hours for this 123k ,with a 16.0 mph average. A respectable time considering riding into the wind(this is almost a predominantly an east-west route),& the 24+ miles of very "so-so" roads from Celeste to Wolfe City(and back).
 
Also,Peggy exceed 3,00K rando miles(for 2008) during this ride. Congratulations to Peggy. I'm glad I was able to be there to share this milestone with Peggy.As usual ,she rode strong today.
 
We missed the usual suspects(Ray,Nelson,Paul,Bud ,& Greg)today. I need 118K+ to get 4,000k rando miles for this year.  We're looking forward to celebrating with Bud later today. That event trumps any rides/milestones & puts cycling & life into context.
 

Glad you didn't blow out the back wheel and roadrash yourself, Steve-O...  
 
I had things to do this afternoon, or I would have joined you -- as it was, I rode up to the Plano ride, then cut home from Sachse, for about 45 miles total.  And yes, by 11AM, that west wind was DEFINITELY kicking up!!!!!  
 
Congrats on the "K"s...

Wow, sounds like you dodged a bullet, not going down when that wheel came loose, Steve. Glad you weren't hurt. Good report. Wish I could have joined y'all.

front wheel loose? I am concerned now - this is the same guy that installed the thule t2 bike rack - need I say more.
life is a game of inches and you snuck by on this one by a few millimeters (sorry to go metric on you).
the wheel most likely came loose with all the tie downs and ratchet straps Peggy makes you use when on the thule t2 rack.
-1F and blowing like a mother in MI