The value of a tire pump...

So I went for a bicycle ride yesterday morning with Jose Sandoval and Sharon Anderson, teammates, around the south end of Lake Washington. It was very cold, but dry and when the sun hit you it made it all worth it. Unfortunately I was already feeling a bit under the weather before I went for the ride. I woke up with a knot in my gut and spent the 40 or so minute before Jose and Sharon came to pick me up sitting on the toilet. But none the less I was not to be detured from my recovery ride (as I can only ride when it is dry out I have to make the most of it when I can!!) and decided to go on the ride. I popped a few Immodium's and we were off. Now let me preferce this by saying I normally carry CO2 tire inflators, but I lent them out to Kris Lepine for cyclocross season and haven't gotten them back yet AND there was a big mix up with Christie and mine cell phones, I had her's and mine was getting dropped off at our house after I left. So I felt pretty good going for a ride with a spare tube and no way to pump it up, as Jose had a pump with him, most cyclists stop to ask if you need anything when you have a flat, or I could call Christie to come get me. Well after the south end of the lake loop we had completed 27 miles and I split off from Jose and Sharon to ride the 5 or 6 miles home. I was confident that if I had a flat I could either call Christie to come get me or some other cyclist would stop and ask me if I needed help.... Cut to 1.5 miles from home and you know it, a front flat tire:( So I pull out the Nextel and chirp Christie... NO ANSWER... I call the house... NO ANSWER... I call my cell phone... NO ANSWER!!!! So I start walking three cyclists ride by without as much a glance!! I have to WALK in cycling shoes 1.5 miles home and not until I am about 3 blocks from home does a cyclist stop and ask if I need help and then THREE guys ask the same thing!!! I am not about to sit down in the cold 3 blocks from home a fiddle with changing a tire!! So I get home, 33.6 miles total!!, and there is my cell phone sitting on the table no one insight. I took a shower and curled up on the couch as my stomach is now REALLY in knots and whole body aches. I layed there till Christe, her dad and Abigael came home around 2ish about 2 hours after my flat and then continued to lay there until the Cycling Team meeting a 6pm of which I only briefly attended. I then came home and fell asleep at 7pm and slept till 6 am this morning!!! I feel better and never once had a fever so I think it was food poisoning from Shorty's hotdogs I had on Friday around 3pm.... Oh well! I FORGIVE YOU CHRISTIE and I am not mad anymore for not being able to contact you IT WAS MY FAULT FOR NOT HAVING A PUMP OR CO2! Lesson learned always carry a pump, a tube or CO2, patch kit when you ride!!!

(PS I now have a CO2 inflator with two extra cartridges as well as an extra tube and a patch kit in my roadside flat kit!! Thanks Adam)