10 miles out on a fine day, on Bill's ride to Marana, I managed to hit something I never saw. Pacelines can be wonderfully fun but the down side is that you are unable to see ahead very far. As the rider in front of me put his R arm down to signal some object in the bike lane, I hit it. There was a loud explosion that put a large hole in the sidewall of my front tire. I patched the tire with a boot, put in a new tube and tried to pedal on but the weight of the boot created an unnerving thump, thump as I rode so I abandoned the club ride and said "Goodbye" to the Orange Group on Tangerine Road and headed home for repairs. I got 1,111 miles on that Specialized turbo Pro 26mm tire so I guess I don't feel too ripped off. I may even buy another one but I am now suspicious of the sidewall construction.
Larry, Terry and Bill -- thanks for checking in. Bill C. thanks for the eagle eye to spot the bead sneaking back off the rim. That could have been another problem! You guys are good friends in a pinch (flat). ;-) ugh!