I'm so nervous

[Gray Gato]

There are large butterflies hovering in my tummy.

After 6 months of planning and preparation, we leave for our bike trip this Saturday. Suddenly I'm filled with fears that I haven't trained enough, trained properly... I never considered altitude and I'm riding in Southwest Utah?

I'm feeling old, unprepared and stupid. Why am I doing this?

I tell myself that all I have to do is ride my bike. While training we both were working full time (at rather tough jobs), keep up yard and house, help with family matters and ride, ride, ride. So for a week all I have to do is ride, eat and sleep. Why am I so scared?

[eclectic]

good luck and I can't wait to hear all about it ! Details details details

Southwest Utah you lucky gal!

As you know I did my first tour this summer and yes I felt the same way, excitement and fear all mingled together. I didn't sleep but a wink the first night and was up I swear before 5 AM.

Scared - so many new unknowns - it'll be old hat by the end of the first day

Have a great time !

[SandyLS]

I agree with Electic. You'll do fine. I also did my first tour this year and understand your nervousness. I didn’t sleep a wink the night before. I was sure I’d make a fool of myself. I found Tylenol PM and ear plugs helped me to get a full night's sleep on the tour as well as a good air bed. My tour was a camping trip and I hadn’t done any tent camping in about 25 years!
You will be so proud of yourself when you reach your destination, and we at TE will be too! Have fun!

[Bad JuJu]

On my way to a tour I did in Maryland in May, I kept thinking, "I hope I'm not the oldest, slowest, fattest one there." And you know what? Once I got there and got started riding, it didn't matter the least bit who was the oldest, slowest, fattest. (But I wasn't even close!)

Have fun and let us know how it went!

[CorsairMac]

Altitude: drink drink drink!!! Start drinking a couple of day Before you get here and keep drinking while you're here. It's the simplest way to stave off altitude sickness. And bear in mind you are going to be higher up than you're used to so give yourself some time and some credit, the first few days will be the hardest until you adapt. If you start to feel sick to your stomache, fatigued or a headache, just rest and give yourself to time to get air back into your lungs!

Corsair "lives at 6000 feet" Mac

[pooks]

Listen to Corsair -- drink water until you feel like it's seeping out of your pores today. (If you're where you can read this.)

I have probs with altitude sickness and last time I went to the mountains (we were camping at 8,400 feet and driving up to 13,000) my doc prescribed Diamox. I'm not sure which worked best or if they both did, but I was fine.

Good luck and have a great time!

[DeniseGoldberg]

Hey Gray Gato -
I don't know about you, but getting nervous before a trip is normal for me. I wish I knew how to stop that feeling, but I haven't managed to find the magic potion yet. All I know is that as soon as I'm on the road (driving or flying to my tour), I'm fine!

I just got back from an almost 2-week tour in Nova Scotia, and I had that feeling before I left. In case it can help make you feel better, here's the blog entry I posted just before I left:

Last minute nerves

Or - maybe I should call them "last day nerves"...

Yesterday was packing day for my upcoming trip, and tomorrow is my departure day. Today, and last night? My very nervous day! Honestly, I have no idea why I get an attack of nervousness right before I take off on a vacation. It's not like I haven't used my bike as my primary mode of transportation for a vacation. And it's not like traveling solo is something that is new to me. In fact, I love traveling on my own and on my bike.

So, crazy nervousness, be gone!

On the altitude front, well, it might make you ride slower, or... But you'll be fine. Keep drinking lots of water as others have already advised.

Have a great trip!
--- Denise