Konstantin Ignatyev

3 flats in 2 days..... after visiting Antelope Canyon I stopped by a Subway to eat and after discovered that air escaped from tube in my rear tire. No biggie, laid down motorcycle, disassemble, find a puncture and fix it. Folks were very nice and provided me with bucket of warm water to test tube. Then I started towards North Rim of Grand Canyon. Almost made it, couple of miles from Demotte campground I felt that bike feels funny and discovered that my rear tire is almost flat again! Crawled to Country Store that had gas station and compressor! Only to discover that air escaping my rear tire with hissing sound.... Owners of the store were very kind and supportive, they pointed my to a flat area where I can pitch my tent. It was close to road and I was worrying a bit about noise from passing vehicles. I was wrong! I woke up in a middle of the night because of huge number of coyotes howling and barking- went back to sleep, I love sounds of nature. Morning was COLD! My bike was covered in frost: it is about 7000 feet above sea level after all and it is autumn! But store was open at the time and provided hot coffee and oatmeal. I waited for sun to warm up air a bit and then get to work on fixing my flat and simultaneously providing entertainment for folks traveling in their campers and probably thinking how cozy and warm they are compared to that crazy guy on small motorcycle. And then a guy came for a chat, but you know that you are in (or close to) Utah that he started to evangelize. I was polite and we had a civil conversation, but I think he is nuts. He told me that one of his sons has died in motorcycle accident, and a daughter committed suicide, and that is how he knows that God loves him! .... Wow! Then I asked about other children - he has about 7 more ( I do not remember the exact number but you got the idea). And he is grieving his last (4th) wife that passed away about a year ago. I politely asked what happened, he told me that her son gave her an overdose of heroin... It might be just me, but stories of this devoted Christian kind of scare me....