Oh my dear! What a crazy day! Started out to do a 110k bike ride this a.m., driving in to town, even though we were headed back right by our house for the first part of the ride. But. Tom had told folks we were starting from town, so start from town we would. Only it started raining. And “group ride” is usually on Sunday. So it ended up being just he and I as we rode back toward home. Was feeling good and looking forward to my first long ride with company.
About 10k in, I hit a rock or the edge of a pothole and POW! heard and felt it at the same time. Blew a tube. Hollered up to Tom but don’t think he heard me. Got off and thought, “Well. At least I get to try out my new C02 cartridge/pump.” as I pulled the back wheel off. Luck would have it that my daughter’s BF drove by just at that time and I asked him to drive up and tell Tom to come back.
Saw that the tire itself had a nasty snake bite. hmmmm. Well. Nothing I can do about it now. So put in the tube, the tire, hand pumped a bit to get it started, checked for any fold overs. And waited for Tom to get back before I tried the C02 – first time I tried it at home I exploded the freakin’ thing in my face, so I wanted some moral support and back up! 
Tom comes back. We try and get the C02 cartridge to line up. It would NOT thread properly (and probably why it blew in my face!). Just was NOT going to work. Great! Hauled my mini pump back out and Tom started pumping away then PFFFT! the tube stem breaks off. Just snapped! LOVELY! Took that tube out. Replaced with Tom’s tube. Wondered how we were going to get up to 120psi with it. Again, lucky break. A guy stops, says, “Need any special equipment? I live back up the road and have a full garage.” “Got a hand pump, by any chance?” Tom asks. “I have an air compressor, will that work?” Beauty!
Tom takes the wheel up the road. I start walking with the bike. Meet up as they’re waiting for the compressor to get up to 120psi. Buddy takes us for a tour of his garage … walk upstairs and Lo! and Behold! a total replica of a ’50s Texaco Gas station, complete with booths, and stools and jukebox, glassed in office, Texaco signs, wall jukeboxes, soda glasses, you name it, he had it! Who knew?!? We ride/drive past this guy’s place just about everyday and had no idea that “Barrie’s Texaco” was such a piece of nostalgia!
Tire pumped. Wheel back on. “Thanks Barrie!” and we’re on the road again. But a short 30 minute side trip AND we get to witness a neighbour’s passion. Sweet. Riding along, we decide our now-100k without any backup tubes is probably not a good idea. So Tom says he’ll drop by the house (a loop off the main road) while I wait at the end as it’s a dirt road – no need to tempt the Gods right?! – while he picks up a spare. 2 more k up the road and PFFFTTTT! The snake bite on the tire works its magic again. GREAT. Guess we’ll BOTH be taking a detour. 45 minutes later, soaked, after an unplanned walk in road shoes we’re back at home. Again. Only to discover, we don’t have any more spare tubes. Doh! And of course, the car is back in town. Gee. Ya think the Universe is telling us something.
We’re not complete idiots. Decision made. Tom rides back into town to get the car, pick up some tubes while I go for a run instead. We’ll do the ride tomorrow.
Maybe it’ll even be sunny!
Hey. It could happen. 
If ever you get a tear in your tire that poses a threat to popping such as the snake bike you mentioned, take a cliff bar/powerbar/candy bar wrapper and put that around the tube as reinforcement.
Money also works however is a little big so may require ripping the money (This was much easier to do in the days or 2$ bills instead of 5).
Works real well.
Great idea Vincent. Our local bike tech has suggested a piece of inner tube to do a similar thing. And in actual fact, I contemplated it, IF I’d had an Xacto knife or something to cut the tire. But the bar wrapper? Pure genius!
New tire.
Yes, the cycling gods were not on your side; at all. I’ve never tried what Vincent mentioned but have heard the advice before. Maybe if this happens again (low and behold) you might want to give it a shot!
The kicker? Virtually new Michelin tire. Only a few rides worth. I think I’m gonna go with the bomb-proof variety next. Nova Scotia roads just SUCK! (lo! and behold!
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and it always happens on the long ride, always.
the other thing ill pack too, is patches… the last resort. and that dudes place you stopped in at, i wanna say its mciassac… his kid went to school with cliff.
for your co2, check the little pin to make sure its straight, this will ensure it punctures the cartridge correctly.
Yah. What is WITH that?!? Some kind of Murphy’s Law for cyclists?? I’m PO’d about the tire – brand new Michelin piece o’crap!
I think the replacement cartridges CS sold me don’t fit the pump. I’ll be returning the whole shebang on the weekend. I’m bitter.