Pepsi Float & Chocowinity, North Carolina!!!!!!! :)
Yesterday, in New Bern, I went by the pharmacy where Pepsi-Cola was born. They've done a really nice job of hosting visitors in it. Likewise, the Pepsi-affiliated KFC birthplace in Corbin, Kentucky has done a nice job. Speaking of corporate birthplaces, Coca Cola (Atlanta, Georgia) and Pepsi both started off in places with sweet people… I guess there's something in the water!
By the way, did you know that the original Pepsi recipe contained alcohol? And the original Coke recipe contained cocaine. And lots of sodas had arsenic and other toxins…. And "Mountain Dew" was a phrase for moonshine.
Anyways, I tried a new drink, Caleb's Kola, which contains kola nut extract. I had mine in an ice cream float -- yummy!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
The sweet young lady was explaining to the next customers how one cola had a different formula than another, and therefore tasted more "like the C-word". I had a hard time controlling my laughter -- and still think that's one of the funniest lines I've heard in a long time. Maybe they'll change their training program…
Later, on my way out of town, which was somewhat confusing, I got another flat! Stopping on the side of the road, I struggled some more with the problematic rim. With all my tubes now broken, I pulled out one of my old tubes which I'd already patched a couple of times, and it still didn't inflate previously. I added a third patch, this one extra large, and pumped it up. Luckily, it held air, although it was still a huge hassle to get the tire on the rim.
Rode on for a little while, before I heard the disappointing sound of air leaking out. Checked, and it turned out to be coming out of the valve area. I put the valve cap from the front tire on the rear tire, and that seems to have roughly held the air in.
Today, the rear tire still has some air in it, enough to ride on. I've made it through a couple of towns, without bike stores or hardware shops or anything. I'm concerned that it'll give out again soon, although I will continue riding and still have a few alternatives.
Rock & Roll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)