There is a breakover point on every ride where an excuse is made. Either to go further or to turn back. It is the mark of a great ride to beckon further, to leave you wanting more. To be sure, the most efficient use of this is to ride this decision like the proverbial fencepost. To go just far enough. We never know what lies in wait around those unturned corners, nor exactly what forces encourage or discourage our subconscious. How many rattlesnakes have I avoided? How many crashes and car vs. bike accidents? Impossible to say. I do know that getting a flat tire one hundred meters from the car is about as good as a flat tire gets. To have that tube hold out for 20 miles only to fold up within a brief cool-down to the car is about the best fortune one can hope for when considering the topic of flat tires.