XC! 3,253 Miles

Thanks everyone for your love and support.  We had a police escort into Cha-lston (down South we don't prounce the 'r'); see photo of police cruiser with flashing lights.  We stopped for lunch at 32 miles and were greeted by our hoot'n and holler'n friends and family.   I expected to see my darling wife, my brother Don and his wife, Marilena, but was truely surprised to see my two best ultra-running friends: Mark Blenden and Drew Meyer.  That was very nice.  After some fish tacos, we rode the final seven miles to The Boardwalk resort, dipped our wheels in the Atlantic and jumped in for a swim in surprisingly warm water.  This was really an endurance effort for me and I had so much fun.  Kevin, my new Microsoft lawyer friend gave me a hug and said, "I'm glad you were here.  I knew someone else would be praying on the bike."  

It's done ;)

P.S. Insight on the life of a guide...Jen works 9 months straight. She's either in Europe, driving gear across America, or running ride camps and faces a new group of guests each week or so.  She lives out of one suit case all this time.  By the time she finishes she can't stand the look of her shorts and dresses any longer and throws them away.

Trek did a great job.  We were lucky to have Rustin, Jen and Tara.

All The Hard Work Is Done

Well, it must be close to Halloween, because Trek Travel tricked us.  Today's ride turned out to be about 11 miles longer than promised; one final century ride.  The discrepancy made following the directions a challenge and the last ten miles were nerve racking enough.  The road surface was bumpy and rutted, with no shoulder.  In addition, traffic was heavy, with lots of dump trucks blowing horns and school buses that passed very close.  Oh well, we're here and ready for tomorrow's 40-mile celebration ride to the Charleston.

I've noted how confusing it is to get up and ride each day.  Nobody's been hurt badly on the XC; however, we've laughed at how the conversation with some doctor might go:  "Where are you going today?  I don't know.  What city did you leave this morning?  I don't know.  What day of the week is it?  I don't know.  What day of the month is it?  I don't know, but lunch is at 58.2.  Hmmm...this sounds like a serious concussion.  Admit him at once!"

I've included a picture of my leather saddle.  I don't know if you can see it clearly, but the left side is bent down far more than the right.  At the tip of the saddle you can see the tension bolt, which can be turned to stretch the leather and remove any concave shape developed over too many miles.  My back has almost 27 degrees of scoliosis and the saddle certainly shows which way I lean.  During my summer training, I experienced serious chafing and was 'treated' by Gary, the bike fit guru, at Richardson Bike Mart in TX.  He had me face the wall and raise this and that arm.  Then, I turned around and he circled a small flashlight around my eye.  I then faced the wall and he circled a magnent around my lower back and prounced me cured.  He said he ajusted my optic nerve to affect my pelvis position.  It sounded like a lot of malarkey to me too, but it worked.  I think I need to see Gary again, real soon.

We leave tomorrow at 9:00 and will have a police escort thru Charleston.  A lunch/beer break is scheduled at Poe's Tavern, 2210 Middle Street, Sullivan's Island, SC; (843) 883-0083.  It sounds like this will be the first time we see some of our family and friends.  We then ride together the final 7 miles to a resort, where we'll dip our wheels (and ourselves) in the Atlantic Ocean.  This will be followed by dry cloths and a Trek Travel Happy Hour, which all my family is invited to attend.  

Denis and I averaged 15 mph for the XC and I lost 12 pounds.  My combined time for the XC was probably 219 hours.  My diet included no visits to the gym or personal trainer and I ate everything in sight for 40 days.  A little  bike riding was included.

Below is a shot of Denis riding along side cotton fields and our last picnic lunch.  It's been a blast, thanks for following along.  Please remember, this XC ride is a fund raiser for a school serving very poor kids in Guatemala and they need a gym.  Donations can be mailed to:

His Appointed Time Mimistries

P. O. Box 1351

Snyder, TX 79550.

One last photo of my darling wife, Sherry.

God Bless!

I am a tree in a story about a forest.

One should get a little reflective after a 3,300 miles.  It's been a great adventure, but my lymphoma & back pain, deals at work and Sherry's MS haven't gone away.  One of the real benefits of the XC was the time to be contaplative.  Robin Tull, my roommate from Oral Roberts University and financial advisor, gave me an interesting book, A Million Miles In A Thousand Years, by Donald Miller.  It put the biblical story of Job into perspective for me.  God was saying, I know what I'm doing, and this whole thing isn't about you.  Job found contentment and even joy outside the context of comfort, health, or even stability.  He learned to care more about the story than he did about himself.  I loved the Victor Frankl quote-- I'm a tree in a story about a forest and the story about the forest is better than the story about the tree.

When we were kids my brother, Don, used to tell a syntax joke, 'What's that in the road a head?'  Well, the answer is, yep, Doug's head.  Three days ago, we found Peter struggling to change a flat.  My back was killing me, so while Denis and Kevin changed the tire and pumped up the tube, I laid down on the slope beside the road and fell asleep, with my head in the road.  I guess that shot won't make the next Trek Travel brochure.

Rustin said the batteries for our electronic shifters should last 2,000 miles; however, they charge ours every 10 days, politely implying that we shift too much.  I think my problem arises during long climbs.  I'm already on the small ring and the easiest gear, but repeatedly hit the button looking for just one more.

I outed Sallie.  Turns she didn't want her husband and sister to be concerned about her, so she didn't tell them about being hit by a car.  Her strategy had one flaw, they read my blog.  Alls well that ends well.  She's feeling better and will ride to Charleston.  We split a Margherita pizza tonight.  I'll miss talking to her every day after we leave Charleston.

Below you can see me taking Peter's photo and the Rose Hill Plantation, which turned out to be a fun side trip this afternoon.  There's also a good shot with Denis, who's been my trusted navigator and riding partner.

Like life, this has been about the journey, not the destination; however, that's about  to change.

Low Blood Sugar

Thankfully, today's ride was shorter.  After some early climbing, we even got a very long down hill into Chimney Rock, but I still ended up tired and grumpy.  Spartanberg's downtown is mostly boarded up.  When Scott checked into the hotel, they asked him where he left his bike.  When he told them it was outside, they quickly told him, "Don't do that."

At one point Kevin, Lorie & Jim, Denis and I all received a Garmin direction to turn right.  It wasn't consistent with our printed sheet and didn't seem to make much sense.  We're all stopped along side the road studying our I-phones and debating how to reach Spartenberg.  Remember, Trek Travel routes us on scenic back roads that seldom go anywhere directly.  A very old couple were sitting on their front porch just watching us.  After a while we began to point down one road.  The old guys said, "I'd come down and help you, but Granny needs to eat.  It's been about a half hour since she had anything and she's getting testy."  I knew just how she felt.

Lunch was a little, rural deli that was a hoot. The food was good, although I felt I was in a Hee Haw episode.  After I ate my sandwich, I picked up a Moonpie; we're down South after all.  Before I knew it, there was a run on Moonpies. I don't think any of us had had one in 25 years.

We crossed the South Carolina border, which makes our 11th, and most importantly, our last state.  102 miles is on the schedule for  tomorrow, which will be something like our 14th century + ride.

It's weird I haven't driven a car or gone to Pei Wei on 40 days.  I'm home sick, especially for my darling wife, who will greet me at the Atlatic Ocean.

Tails From The Road

Wow!  Today's ride was simply beautiful.  We had two rather scary looking climbs, but they turned out to be 2.5 mile steady pulls that got over pretty quickly and were followed by fun 40-mph decents down the other side.  There was also a wonderful 15 mile ride into Ashville, NC.  Weather was perfect.  I was sad today's ride end.

I thought I'd fill you in on how some of my buddies are doing...

Kevin almost got in the van yesterday.  He has a strong fear of dogs and has been chased a lot on this trip.  Lorie and Jim talked him out of quitting and promised to ride with him and shield him from the dogs.  Kevin is very easy to like and once described himself as 'pathalogically sociable'.

Bill ran over a squirrel.

Jim and Lorie got really lost two days ago.  They finally realized the error of their ways and got back on course, about an hour behind everyone else.  Trek Travel has us mainly on back roads, so they studied their maps and found a more direct short cut down a highway and ended up only riding a couple extra miles.

I almost got hit today by a pickup truck (I thought I'd bury this tidbit to distract my wife).  I rode through a green light.  A truck was coming the other way and out of no where decided to turn left, right at me.  He broke hard just before me.  Despite my optic yellow jersey, he told Denis (who was behind me) he just didn't see us.

It turns out I had to wait 45 minutes yesterday for a new wheel because Sallie, 67, got hit by a teenage driver.  Sallie signaled a left turn and was in the process of turning left, when the car behind thought she had waived her around.  So, it accelerated, past her on the left and then turned right.  Sallie crashed over her handle bars and was shaken up a bit.  Several other cars stopped and drivers jumped out to assist her.  After a couple minutes, she wanted no more attention and rode off.  The teenager called her father, who caught up with Sallie about a mile down the rode and appogized.  Sallie got some bruises, a black & blue thumb, and a good story to tell her friends back home.  As I noted previously, Sallie can take care of herself.

No, I didn't mispell today's blog title.  I'm just now getting to the end of the story.  Kevin loves Butt Butter, which comes in a large 8 ounce tubes, one of which is always in his jersey pocket.  Last week at a van stop, we noticed that a good bit of it (ping pong ball amount) worked it's way through his bike pants and and was forming up on the outside.  He laughed and said that the directions said to 'apply liberally'.  He's now on his 7th 8-ounce tube.  Besides dogs, I think he has an unnatural fear of  saddle sores.  

We reached NC!

3 Dog Night

Dogs love to chase cyclists.  I don't know if it 'a because they think they can catch us or they're just angry to see middle age men wearing spandex.  The sad truth is it's a dangerous occupation.  On our XC trip, three dogs have been hit by cars.  Two are out of business.  The third actually ran into the side of a car, bounced off and limped home.

I still haven't had a flat, but broke a spoke on my front wheel today and enjoyed a 45-minute break on the side of the road waiting for Rustin to bring me new tire.  I arrived late to The Fairfield Inn, but finished another century ride with too much climbing.

Like I said a couple days ago, I'm not getting stronger anymore; my legs are dead.  It's getting so bad I was even dropped walking back from the restaurant tonight.  I'm ready for Charleston.

Below is a shot of me flagging down the Trek van:  arm out straight and hand in a fist.  Eric also broke a spoke and Paul the Elder blew out a derailer.  Also included is old barn and some TN countryside.

Sorry to make you guys read this every day, but you're almost done.

FOG!

We rode through very heavy fog for 2 1/2 hours this morning.  It was certainly dangerous dealing with Nashville morning traffic, but there were no incidents.  

Denis was recovering from an illness and Kevin has been a lot slower since getting sick in Branson, MO.  As a result, we had a five man group that hung together pretty much all day...by that I mean 10 hours and 15 minutes.  We had a lot of climbing, but it was primarily done in two long pulls, which made it seem easier.  Odd; the last few miles are always tough.  It doesn't matter if it was today's 126 or an easy 70-miler.  One programs the brain to do the work, but it gets weary towards the end.  My ride went very well; however, I'm now awfully tired and dealing with a sore back again.  I settled for McDonald's because the nicer restaurant was 250 yards from the hotel.

Word is we're getting close, but you sure couldn't prove it by me.  All it seems we do is go to bed sore and get up an do another century ride the following day.  Schedule shows 107 tomorrow and a little less climbing.  We get to Ashville, NC, on Sunday, which is supposed to be beautiful.  

People were looking at next year's Trek Travel brouchure during lunch.  Funny.  The two most excited people were Jen and Rustin, our guides.  Rustin is signing up as a 'guest' for one Europe ride because it's so awesome he wants the full experience.

Love Sick Blues

I enjoyed my day off in Nashville.  To be fair to the city, I must start at The Ryman Auditorium, 'the first church of country music.'  I paid $18 and enjoyed the back stage tour and a bunch of funny stories.  When Hank Williams made his Grand Old Oprey debut, the crowd went wild and called him back for six encores. They had to implore the audience to let him go so they could get on with the rest of the show.  The funny thing was that his band only knew the one song they prepared for his opening number:  Lovesick Blues.  So, they played it over and over.

Flush in the middle of downtown Nashville one can find The Hermatage.  We must have been a site straggling in out of the rain with our wet gear and bikes.  Scott and I sent our wet cloths out to be washed.  It seemed like a good idea at the time, but ended up costing us $74.50. This is a 1910 luxury hotel that has been amazingly restored to it's glory.  It has a grand lobby, down filled duvets, serves afternoon tea, and the men's room off the Oak Bar is head of the class.  It was voted America's Best Bathroom and is decorated in an Art Deco style with gleaming lime-green and black glass tiles and fixtures, with terrazzo floors and two shoe shine chairs.  It's cleaned hourly.  It definately makes up for the convenience store back in OK.  See pictures below, of The Hermitage, not the convenience store.  

Our merry little band continues to battle illness.  Denis was the last to be attacked by the bug.  He told me in the lobby this morning that he lost 11 pounds last night, but was beginning to  feel better and was grateful for the day off.  I took another nap this afternoon and feel fine.  I've lost 11 pounds on the XC ride and my resting pulse is back under 50 bpm.

Tomorrow promises to be a very long day: 124 miles and 7,500 feet of climbing.  We're sort of like Hobbits on long days.  We have first and second lunches scheduled at 46 and 91miles.  My goal each day is just to work it under 60 miles.  From there I feel it's just a matter of putting the time.  But, it's critical to be aware of how far it is to the next turn.  No one wants to ride bonus miles.

Below is a shot of The Grand Old Oprey (The Rymand Auditirium).  A view of Rustin and Jen, our guides, showing off our Happy Hour Buffet, with the Hermitage lobby behind them. I also included a photo of me and Scott, sporting his western jacket and bolla tie.  Finally, the famous men's room.

God Bless.

Dover, TN: 78 Miles

Relatively speaking, today was an easy ride and I did well.  We expected thunder showers, but enjoyed a beautiful day riding through farm land.  Upon arrival, I got a chopped beef sandwich from Hillbilly Bar B Que and crash napped for an hour and forty five minutes.  For a while on the XC I was getting stronger and more clever.  Now, I'm just getting tired and dumb.  My legs quads are very tired and my back is bugging me.   Seriously, I have nothing interesting to say.  

Cold Wet Ride Into Nashville

Well, our good weather luck really ran out today.  We began at the McDonald's (see photo of bikes lined up) next to the Dover Inn and rode in a cold rain 92 miles to The Hermatage in Nashville.  After about 10 miles, it became pretty obvious that it wouldn't clear up and that we were pretty miserable.  We were all soaked, chilled and our little group of 5 riders broke apart at a van stop and everyone just sort of made a break for it.  Kevin was faster than me, but sadly had a worse sense of direction.  Rustin and Tara realized he was missing and began the hunt.  They found him, making good time, but 4 miles down the wrong road.  He arrived late to Nasville.  Denis caught me and we rode into the 55-mile lunch stop together.  I was thrilled to strip out my wet shirts and put on a warmer running tech shirt, a new bike jersey, a dry wind jacket, and my rain top.  With only about 35 miles to go, we felt much better and rode into town together, since we only had one dry sheet of directions between us.  Our Garmins worked ok today, but they sometimes go nuts and start ordering you to go someplace else.  They are very helpful, but... Jim and Denis donned rain pants today; however, the rest of us stuck with bike shorts.  

Scott, my roomie, went shopping at a clothing store near the old Grand Old Oprey and retuned looking like Porter Wagoner.  All he needs now is a pair of boots to complete the look.  

I weighed in at 181 this afternoon, down 11 pounds from Santa Barbara.  I've been sleeping much better and getting used to riding for 32 days.  My back cracked loudly on Scott's foam roller this afternoon.  It's clearly annoyed to ride so much.

Through years of ultra running I've learned that when I over-train, I suffer bouts of depression, not sore knees or stress fractures.  I'm certainly engaged in 'excessive exercise', but can clearly state I'm not being negatively affected in any way.  At times, I'm very tired, but am still having a ball.  There is a really tough 125-miler in two days, but...we are scheduled to have a great meal tonight and a day off tomorrow.

Crossed The Mississippi Today

Dang!  The past two days of MO rollers took a lot out of my legs (and my back). Today, while long, was much easier.  There was a bit of wind to deal with, which was especially annoying since I got dropped early.  But, Jen came to my rescue and pulled me along for 30 miles to lunch.  At one point Denis fell way of off the pace.  I circled back to learn that he was in the midst of a calorie bonk.  At the next turn, we caught Jen and she gave Denis a banna and a packet of Cliff Shots.  He recovered quickly and we made it to lunch.

30 miles after lunch was the MS River ferry, which we wanted to cross together.  So, we rode as a group, until I couldn't maintain 17 mph and fell off the back.  Word filtered up the line and they slowed it down to allow me back on.

After we crossed into Kentucky, we raced along for 11 miles and entered TN.  Tomorrow is something like 75 miles to Dover, certainly the smallest village we visit.  I understand dinner will be a pizza party in the hotel parking lot.

Below are river and ferry shots, a sign greeting us to TN, and finally...Kevin, our Microsoft attorney with a really, really bad wind jacket.  In real life he doesn't look like he weighs 400 pounds.