Tour de "Oh my God, my back hurts!"

[Veronica]

Davis 200 K
131. 9 miles
4800 feet of climbing
4 pounds lost

Bad mix of Sustain and Gatorade, too much Gatorade, lead to stomach issues early on.

Andy, the fireman from Seattle, pulled me all the way to the base of Cardiac. Thank you Andy! Andy looked really familiar to me. I've never been to Seattle, but he's been to Walnut Creek and was at the last Rivendell camp out. It really is a small world. He was in Davis to apply for a position at the university. Talking with him kept my mind off my stomach. Andy left me in the dust at Cardiac, and I rode essentially by myself, into a headwind, to the turnaround at the Pope Valley Grange. I did have a little chat with Lisa and Alfie as they passed me on their fixed gears. Towards the end I was having to conserve my water as my ice hadn't melted yet. At the turnaround, I ate half a banana, drank the Red Bull I had been carrying with me and 2/3 of a Sprite, called Thom, refilled my bottles and headed out.

I had a pretty good tailwind back to Cardiac. I played leapfrog with Andy. He caught up to me after lunch. I passed him while he was stopped at a store. He caught up to me again on Cardiac, scared the bejeesus out of me that time. I was in my own little world, climbing, when he he said hello. I think I jumped six inches! It's a a good thing I have helium in my tires. I passed him when he stopped at a picnic area. He caught me for the last time when I stopped at a little store. The store did not have any regular Red Bull. I made do with a lemonade and bought some peanut M&Ms. I was still having stomach issues and was hoping non "funny food" would sit a little better.

After my stop at the store, I had 30 miles to go and I was pretty miserable for many of them. The roads were flat, but twisted in different directions going around farms, sometimes I had a headwind, sometimes a tailwind. But my upper back was killing me! I felt like my vertebrae were being squashed into each other.

My strategy to get through this section was every time a car passed me I would stretch out my back as best I could. It wrecked havoc on my average speed to coast so much. The last ten miles I could not find a position on the bike that didn't hurt my back. I eventually undid the zipper fully on my vest and that helped a bit. I've come to the conclusion that my AV vest constricts my shoulders too much. I had the same problem, although not quite so painfully, on last week's ride.

I don't usually lose any weight when I ride. I'm pretty good about staying hydrated and I definitely drank more than normal yesterday. I didn't get a dehydration headache, so I'm not sure what's up with my weight. But I wouldn't mind if they stayed gone. Oh, and that was 4 pounds AFTER getting dinner at Jack in the Box!

V.

[Starfish]

How did the knee hold up, and how's the back this morning?

[Veronica]

The knee was bothering me a little on the way out. But was fine on the way back. My back is better, I no longer feel like my vertebrae are being squashed together, but it is still very tight.

I will live.

V.

[Starfish]

I will live.

V.

Any rides on the horizon that you actually expect to enjoy?

[sundial]

Veronica, glad you finished your epic ride on a somewhat happy note.

No guts, no glory.

[Veronica]

Any rides on the horizon that you actually expect to enjoy?

I enjoyed the ride from the turnaround to the store yesterday. The descent off Cardiac on the way back was killer. The last two times I've descended it, it was dark. I think I was faster in the dark. But it was nice to be warm while I was descending it.

Funny, I was telling Thom about all the little mind games I was playing to get to the finish and he said, "Tell me again why you do this?"

V.

[Geonz]

You made it!! Here's to rides that feel *good* in your future ... but here's also to getting over whatever obstacles arise, even if it hurts! You go girl

[gnat23]

Funny, I was telling Thom about all the little mind games I was playing to get to the finish and he said, "Tell me again why you do this?"

Hahah! I remember peddling up a huge hill with my boyfriend, it was cold and windy, I was having a rough time with the grade and manged to huff out "This sport is stupid!"

Glad you survived to see another day, er, ride!

-- gnat!

[Veronica]

Well... I've e mailed the owner asking if I can do the ride April 6, start time 8 AM.

I'll probably be falling asleep in my classroom the next day, so you HAVE to ride part of it with me MP.

V.

[jobob]

Yeeks, a committment! OK, I'll email him too.

[maillotpois]

Oh I am definitely in for part - it's just WHAT part and how long that's up in the air.

[maillotpois]

Okay, now I have had to move Em's birthday party to the night of the 5th because of her zoo training being set the morning she WAS going to have her party. Oy! So I have to do some serious juggling and/or bribing here to go do that. I need to at least get the waffles going before I go, so I will probably be meeting you en route higher up the line.

On a good note, I think I'll be able to physically do the ride. The shoulder was worlds better this weekend than last (at more than double the mileage.) I'm just (1) fat and (2) slow (well, ok, only actually slow on the long climbs, and there aren't any on this route).

[Veronica]

You just want to go to to the bakeries!

You do know Bovine Bakery is one of the controls right?

Although, I'll be going to the grocery store across the street.

V.