It's 6pm and there's another break in the weather. I seize the opportunity and take a run into town in search of seam sealer. The mountain road is twisty and the twenty-mile ride is nice and feels good.

I'm riding at a very sedate pace, yet my rear tire is routinely sliding in just about every curve. This is very unusual, but I again attribute that to the wet road surface that is liberally littered with mud, twigs, gravel, and other debris.

At Ingles --main store in town-- I discover that they have no seam sealer. The store clerk assisting me (Bridget) is quite helpful in offering alternatives, but nothing she suggests will work.

Resigned, I pick up a candle, thinking that I'll just melt candle wax into the seam holes. Having taken care of that requirement, I stop at the deli counter for some quick take-out dinner. The chosen candidates tonight are a piece of grilled chicken breast and some black-eyed pea salad.

Standing under cover at the store exit, I slowly eat my chicken breast while I watch the resumed downpour. My bike is certainly getting a good rinsing off from any of the mud it may have picked up. As people scurry in and out of the store, I stand there, now eating my black-eyed pea salad, feeling contented and peaceful.

Finally, it’s time to go. As I ride away, I'm wondering about how functional the candle wax will be as a seam sealer. The more I reflect the more potential problems I see. For example, just keeping the candle lit in this wind and rain is going to be a chore.

About 5 miles down the road, the word Vaseline pops into my mind. That would make a great emergency sealer! Application would certainly be easy enough, though a little messy. What's more, I have a small tube of it in my first-aid kit. Hmmm, do I have enough? At that moment, my reserve light goes off. I take this as a sign that I need to turn around and go back to buy a small jar of Vaseline!

It's now dark as I ride back over those same mountain roads towards the campground. As I gain altitude it gets quite foggy and I slow significantly. To add to the fun, my visor is misting up. There is very little traffic, but I still click my right turn signal on so as to be more visible to an upcoming car.

Back at the campground, I find that the few people left have turned in for the night. It's now 9pm and dark.

I make a quick hop to the laundromat to dry my sleeping bag and I'm back to use my improv solution.

It turns out that Vaseline is very easy to use as a seam sealer. I just dab it on with my finger and swipe it over the seam. It displaces water immediately and provides a water-proof barrier, as it should. In minutes I treat the outside of the tent. In another few minutes, I treat the inside. Theoretically, I'm confident this should work.

I'll be curious to see in the morning. . .

Bruno
Montreal, Canada