Robert,

Just catching up on the Digest Mode, something Don Hanson said caught my eye:

>    Establish a routine for fuel stops.  Follow the routine faithfully so as
> to avoid mistakes.

I second the motion! Not only that, but once you're west of Kansas or
so, Never, Ever, leave a town with your gas gauge below the half-way
mark. Just because a town is on a map Does Not mean you can get gas
there!

Also, you asked about the product known as Slime - - great stuff, in a
mountain bike, but I think it's not really meant for speeds above 45
MPH. There may be a newer version that is, but I haven't seen it yet.
Myself, I'm very proficient with the plug method. Living in an area
with a LOT of nails I have to be. I will say, however, that if your
tires are in good shape you probably won't be getting a flat, seems
like I almost never get a flat until I've got 10 to 12K on the tires,
then it seems they're fair game for almost any nail (I run the
Yokohama Super-Vans). By the time I replace my tires, I usually have
around 4 or 6 plugs per tire (but then, I have quite a bit of the
Scotsman in me).  :^) And for those of you who feel plugging tires is
a mortal sin, I guess I'll be seeing you in Tire Hell!

Gary (currently running with no plugs on fairly new Yokos)