2 hrs, and i did my DT Swiss rims for the Heckler, including strapping tape on the front, making valve stems, and mixing up a batch of homebrew sealant. Sealing the rear was surprisingly hard but cranking the compressor up to 100psi and soaking the rims with soap got it done. The compressor is not useful for a whole lot more than this, but whaddya want for $99? a 30 minute breakin ride with Kila at 11pm when it was finally done, and i was ready for National the next day. rode at 42 psi just in case – it rolled well, but was bouncy, all was grand ‘cept i ripped off a nobby — likely due to the high psi — and it exposed the sidewall and now will have to bust out a new tire . There is just no winning with tires!!! The day before on my commute i punctured a hole in my rear. My sealant had dried up in the summer in one month (hence the addition of ammonia to the new homebrew recipe), so i skulked around in our bike closet at work, taking the valve core off with a pair of pliers and spraying water in it with a water bottle and hoping there would be enough residual spunk in there to liquify and seal it up all before our anal Office Manager wondered what kind of trouble i was up to [and in this case, i can not blame her; sealant makes an awful mess on the floor]). This is the way of tires. I was thinking the other day how its pretty much the same thing with car tires – every corner has a Discount or a Big O or a Goodyear or a general purpose shop that will sell you some tread. And what is one of the iconic symbols of the Old West? The horseshoe.

I’m going to try to resign myself to being philosophical about this, and get happiness in my art and cheapness and having all the right tools in the ManCave.