And what a journey it was! I wasn't able to post any blogs or pictures over the weekend due to a lack of internet connection and lack of expendable energy. But fear not, I shall catch you up now in three or four parts with as much as I can remember. Enjoy the ride...
DAY 1
The day started early for me and included many last minute preparations and packing, along with a quick, nervous breakfast. My wonderfully supportive Ma-in-law came and picked up my bike and me around 7:00 and we were off to Simpsonville. Upon arrival, I was greeted by the many smiling faces of the ever-friendly Alzheimer Association staff along with the eager, excited faces of all the cyclists taking part. I checked in, received a goody bag, put on sunscreen, loaded my bags, took a few pictures, and then stood around waiting for the ride to begin. There were people everywhere - some on bikes, some wearing volunteer shirts, some snapping pictures, some saying goodbye for three days. Before we began, several different important people stood on a foldout chair and expressed their heartfelt gratitude for our participation, as well as inspirational words to motivate our then-fresh legs to keep pedaling. (I can't remember all that was said, and, even if I did, it would take too much time and space to write here.)
Then we were off! (Keep in mind I can only write from my own point of view and personal experience which is undoubtedly not the same as everyone else's.) In hindsight, I believe I began the ride on the wave of too much excitement and went too hard at the beginning, forgetting to save my legs for the many, many rolling miles ahead that day. I made wonderful time for the first 16 miles, averaging 15.8 mph when arriving at the first rest stop. Since I had breakfast pretty early that morning I was already hungry after only one hour of riding. I downed some Fig Newtons while saying hello to Beth and being introduced to a certain Ashton Houghton, head over this crazy ride. I didn't stay long (no time to waste) and traveled alone for awhile. I eventually caught up with a fellow cyclist I had met earlier in the ride, Randall Simmons, and we rode and chatted for awhile. He is from Goose Creek and not accustomed to the hills of the Upstate; so, much of this day's ride was a challenge. For both of us. It was even a challenge for me, despite training daily among said hills. I cannot recall many details about Friday's ride. It was mostly a long process of pushing myself up hills and coasting back down them. Lunch was provided around mile 35ish and Subway sandwiches were on the menu. At that point I felt there was no way I was going to be able to eat a whole sub and ride another 30 miles in the heat without getting sick, so I gobbled up a banana and munched on some watermelon instead. I also remembered then that I am a redheaded, pale-skinned human and should probably reapply the sunscreen that I had inevitably sweated off since the beginning of the ride. So, with sunscreen slathered on, water bottles overflowing, and sunglasses cleaned by the magic of cotton, Randall and I pedaled on.
Once again, I don't remember many specifics about the ride during this time except snapshot images my brain took and random thoughts that occurred to me along the way. I do vividly recall random SAG vehicles driving by with enthusiastic individuals "woo-hooing" us along the way. I also remember seeing Ashton's car drive by being closely followed by a WYFF, News Channel 4 car, then seeing them again a little ways down the road filming us coming down a hill. (So, we're pretty much famous now.)
But, what I remember most vividly is being on mile 51, feeling the heat of the sun directly overhead and wondering if I could really make it. I knew I didn't have too much farther to go, especially compared to what I had already accomplished, but it seemed that all that I could see before me was miles and miles of hot road with no shade. I had somehow gotten separated from Randall by this point and was all alone battling fatigue, heat, and will-power. I wouldn't call it a "bonk," per say, because I knew my legs had the strength to finish and I felt as well-hydrated as I could be at the time. But heat is hot, especially at 12:30 in South Carolina, and the sun alone will create doubts in your mind as to whether or not you are capable of doing much of anything, much less great things. I took a picture of both me and the road that lay before me at this point so in the end I wouldn't forget how I felt then and how far I had come since.
I finally made it to the end amongst the cheers of fellow riders who had already completed their ride. I was hot and I was tired. It had taken me five and a half hours to complete 67 miles. Once I arrived, I found a place to leave my bike and sat down guzzling water. My legs felt pretty wasted and I sat wondering how in the world I would survive two more days like this on the bike.
Eventually, Beth and I were able to check in at the hotel and I got the chance to shower. When I finally saw myself in the mirror, I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. I looked miserable, first of all, with my hair all in tangles, my jersey drooping from the weight of a day's worth of sweat, and my black shorts now gray from all the salt they accumulated over the ride. That was why I wanted to laugh. But then I wanted to cry when I saw my cherry-red cheeks and nose. I was sunburned and not at all happy about it. At that moment I vowed to put sunscreen on my face at every stop the next day.
My spirits were lifted a bit once I got out of the shower and I finally had the wherewithal to realize I was famished! I hadn't really eaten a lunch, though I had been munching and gushing all along the ride. Beth, being the compassionate friend she is, hunted down a leftover lunch sandwich and some grapes for me to chow down on. I ate it fast and hungrily, not really even tasting it. That was around 3:30. At 5:30, when it was time for us to meet for supper, I was starving all over again. As it turns out, you burn a lot of calories riding for 5 hours and your body likes for those calories to be replaced. I wasn't used to feeling so ravenous so often.
We went to the lake home of Van Matthews, one of the riders and Alz. Assoc. board members. He was kind enough to fill us up with barbeque, potato salad, and cole slaw to our belly's content. And I finally got my belly to be content... for awhile. I have to admit that I felt pretty listless through most of this evening. I was tired, hot, and tired of being hot and tired. I jumped in the lake to float around awhile and cool off. The water itself wasn't necessarily cool, but being in it kept the humidity at bay, which made it cooler by default. I'm not sure how long we floated there, but it felt like a wonderful forever just hanging on to a float and letting my legs dangle uselessly. I also went for a short swim while I was in the lake for the sole purpose of stretching out my poor, curled-up cycling body. My neck, shoulders, back, and arms needed the short swim to work out the kinks they had acquired from being in the same, bent-over position all day. I also went for a very breezy boat ride around the lake, compliments of Van, which I enjoyed thoroughly. I truly had a good time at supper, but I was simply too tired to enjoy it all night. When Beth and I got back to the hotel, we both enjoyed a calming hot cup of decaf coffee before going to bed. Fearing a potential night of restlessness and equally fearing an inability to wake in the morning. I took half a dosage of Advil PM and called it a night around 9:00 with my stomach strangely rumbling once again.
I can't say that I slept perfectly soundly - I awoke a few times during the night - but I believe I slept as well as I could considering that I was sleeping in a strange place and had sore, stiff legs screaming at me all night for attempting this 3-day ride in the first place.
On to Day 2...
Still, when it was all said and done, I had completed the day's task and come out with a new personal record of over 67 miles in one trip.
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