Thread Drift

[Lise]

I say, vent away, SK. Here you've got sympathetic ears and a lot of support and good will. Don't even bother to keep up with all the stories, you know you'll hear about anything important! When my mom was hosp'd three years ago, I wasn't on TE yet, but everything else went on hold. You kind of go down into this cave, and all of your attention and energy is spent spelunking the current crisis.

My heart goes out to your dad, you, and your family. I'm glad your dad's regular onc doc is back in town. BTW, we call it "Foleyized" around here, as in, "Did you foleyize her?" "oh, yeah, she's been foleyed for awhile."

I hope your health's holding up, too. I know change of seasons can be a challenging time. I'm eating a square of extra bittersweet Ghiardelli chocolate, and wishing the same for you. It has remarkable sustaining powers. Take care (((SK))) L.

[Bikingmomof3]

Fishdr- wonderful news all around. I am continuing with my healing thoughts for Roux and for a stress free move. We have lived in 4 states, I hate moving!

Nanci- I am looking forward to reading about the ride and who your met. I do not think there is anyone from TE anywhere near me.

Lise- I am glad you decided to write to the 62 year old professor. Let us know what happens. Oh, what does he teach? I am married to a professor.

Chickwhorips- TY for the welcome. I told DH where you lived and he keeps wanting to move us to Alaska. Apparently a position has opened up in the Fairbanks chemistry department.

SK-I am so sorry to hear the trials your father and your family has been going through. My continued prayers.

[maillotpois]

Hey SK - you can have way more than 10 paragraphs with that story. What a roller coaster. I'm so sorry.

Should I bring over my green bar of Scharffenberger....?

[chickwhorips]

i called my stepmum last week to wish her happy birthday and had the best conversation we ever have had. i asked her how she was doing with everything going on with my dad. she's having a hard time. school has started back up and no one to help her. the parents want to help, but not do the 'grunt' work of sorting papers, copying or anything like that. makes me very they want the fun part of sitting in on classes. thats the 'easy' stuff, its behind the scene that where all the work is done and where the most help is needed! argh... i need to step off this soap box now.....

my stepmum said my dad has been moved to a rehab center that specializes in brain problems, dysplasia and such. he has been taken off all meds to see what happens. my stepmum says he is more alert, depressed a bit, but walking around better. there is hope that he will be able to come home soon. once he does he will still need fulltime care, but should be able to function in his home setting. good news there.

my brother and sister-in-law are adopting two more childern. one is almost two and the other is 9 months i think. super cute kids! not sure if anything is wrong with them or not. they were taken from their parents because they were unfit (not sure if drugs were involved or not). they have adopted a total of 4 so far. two are out on their 'own' and the other two will never be able to live without assistance. they are freaking out about having two babies around the house. (the other two kids that are left at home are 14 and 27 i think.) i think its cute.

my sister... well she still isn't talking to me, but her kids are so thats good.

thats my family in a very small nutshell.

[Nanci]

Many Gainesville riders chickened out after the weather report. My friend Barb came up, but went home Saturday. Others just didn't come up. I planned for warm rain and cold descents and hot climbs. I wore a sleeveless tank, bolero, sandals, socks, Pearl Izumi Calientoes- semi-waterproof toe covers worn over my socks but under my sandals. I carried my Showers Pass rain jacket, and extra dry gloves. I _should have_ carried a big ziplock for my bolero to keep it dry when I wasn't wearing it.

I think it was 70F at the start. It started raining almost immediately, but slow and steady, not pouring. The ride starts out with rolling hills, about 15 miles worth, trending upward, then an eight mile real climb. I made this climb at an average speed of 5.5 mph. The top of the first gap (Neels) is at 25 miles- most of that climbing- so I wasn't cold- though wet. As soon as I stopped, it began to pour. I grabbed my jacket and helmet cover and ran under an overhang. I ran into Pedal Wench from TE there! The really hard rain only lasted a few minutes. I did the descent with my jacket on- it's cold anyway even if not raining because of the speed, but I really didn't get going too fast because I was afraid of the wet roads. I had my usual Michelin race tires and never had a traction problem, even on paint. I also had the new cassette which I think allowed me to climb about 1 mph faster, plus spin faster even in my easiest gear. I averaged about 22 on the descents. I got up to 38 at one point, but my bike, I thought, made a weird noise, so I never went that fast again, and never heard the noise again. I usually descend with my hands on the hoods, on the brakes. I felt like I couldn't brake enough. I had the revelation that if you are in the drops, the braking power increases quite a bit- enough to feel in control again, although I didn't feel like I had nearly as much control over the bike, since I never ride in the drops. Before I figured that out, at one point on the first descent, I had to stop to let my forearms rest from braking. I ended up riding with my hand on the left drop for the front brake, to get the most braking power, and my right hand on the hood, and the rear brake, so enough to keep from skidding, but not much stopping power, but enough steering control to be somewhat comfortable at 22 mph. It's kind of scary when you see speed limit signs for cars that say 15 or 20, and I'm having a hard time holding the bike down to that...At one point on this descent, the wind was very, very strong- I could see it blowing the trees sideways! I comforted myself with the fact that I was already more than halfway done.

I would have made the time cut off to do Six Gaps, but continued on with three as planned. I had thought, Saturday, that the storms would come through about noon or one, and I wouldn't have to deal with rain. I was wrong, and it rained from the start till the second descent. I took my rain jacket off for the second climb, Wolf Pen, which is the second hardest climb of the six. It starts immediately after the descent from Neels Gap. It is only a couple miles, but as steep as Hogpen, with numerous switchbacks, even the hairpin turns! It's gorgeous and shady, though. My average speed on this climb was about 3.8 mph. It was raining, again, but I thought, well, I'm not cold, I'm not hot, my feet are a little cold but not bad, I am not hungry, not thirsty, my legs don't hurt, I can ride the climbs without stopping to rest!! What more could I ask for? Who cares about the rain??? On the second descent, it was so foggy I could only see about 100 feet ahead. Cars were VERY courteous. At the top, I stopped to get some pretzels. The first hundred milers hadn't come through yet. I put my jacket back on for the descent. I still wasn't cold, and my feet were wet, but not cold. On this descent, the leaders of the hundred mile ride began to pass me. I can't believe how they can _pedal_ descending like that!! Just about every single one had encouraging words for me.

After the second descent, there are about 15 miles left, trending down. I stopped to remove my jacket for the last time, and take off my toe covers and socks. My feet were like prunes- they liked being out in the sun instead of cold wet shoes. I was happy I chose sandals. The climb to Jacks Gap is not bad. Then there are about 10 miles of mostly descent back into Dahlonega. My riding time was five hours, and my total time was about six hours. My average speed was 10.5 mph. I think last year I did 9 mph. BF did the hundred in eight hours total. Since we were parked right at the finish line, I had a nice nap in my chair with Dillbird while waiting for him to finish. (They have showers and spaghetti dinner at the high school, too.) Oh, the weather cleared up about noon and didn't rain again until we were leaving at 4:30 PM. There were still riders out...

Friday evening we went to a winery, then out to dinner with BF's chiropractor who moved up there, in Helen, which is in the middle of Oktoberfest.

Saturday, we went to the expo, and two wineries. (Brought home ten bottles of wine!) Ran into a few of the hardier Gainesville people at the expo.

It was tough driving home at 5PM Sunday. I'm glad I had today off.

Here's BF at the start.

[Nanci]

Me and Pedal Wench share a moment in the lovely weather!

[Nanci]

Why am I experiencing camera lust? I love my camera. But now it comes in 10 MP with anti-shake technology, which you can see from my movies I seriously need.

Dillbird was an absolute angel, for once. I made him a nest on the bed at the hotel similar to what he lives in at home- towels on the bed, fenced in by pillows, and he just stayed there! Didn't have a flapping, panting, frazzling frenzy like he usually does when I try to get him to just _sit_ somewhere. I left him there for the expo, came back to check, and he was fine so I left him the rest of the day. The alternative is to keep him in his sleeping bag and carry him everywhere with me in a mesh purse. I think he _likes_ that, but being out is more relaxing in the long run.

[Nanci]

I am quite familiar with your type of fistulas, unfortunately. At work one of the things I do is find out where they are going from the skin side in (fistulas can tunnel their way out to the outside as well as connecting things inside...) or try to find where they are going from the inside. What a mess. I feel very sorry for anyone dealing with them. I really don't see how cycling could aggravate them, though. Going to ask at work.

[Nanci]

Where is my WOOT wine? I have been waiting for you since 8AM, trapped at home, doing yard work and laundry...

[SadieKate]

Thanks all. We all have family issues such as these to deal with. It's part of life. I don't ever want to trivialize someone's own family issues, but I feel guilty at times about not responding to others with similar challenges, like Chick. So, please don't ever think I'm ignoring anyone. I think Lise's spelunking metaphor is perfect.

Should I bring over my green bar of Scharffenberger....?

Did I tell you that I made Bubba hide his green bar while he was in Idaho? I knew I couldn't be trusted. He opened it the other day and we had a few pieces. It has been re-hidden. We've been together for 22 years; the man knows me so well.

I think we need to send our closest TE member to Scharffen Berger to get more. Ann? BZ? Don't you need lunch at SB? The calories don't count when you're running an errand for friends?

[chickwhorips]

Should I bring over my green bar of Scharffenberger....?

and what is this?

[Bikingmomof3]

and what is this?

It is devine chocolate which I am now craving. There is no chocolate in the house!

[maillotpois]

and what is this?

It's some special edition version of wonderful Scharffenberger dark chocolate which we had on our recent chocolate factory tour. I am pretending mine isn't there in the cupboard right by the 2 bags of Carambars caramel candy I brought back from France 2 years ago and have successfully ignored since then. It's my "ignore" shelf.....

Maybe I should give these items to Bubba to hide for me.

[Brina]

SK and Chick, sending good thoughts for your family members, and for you. it is not easy dealing with a sick parent. chocolate helps. I am going to have to look into this green label stuff.

Lise, glad you emailed the old man. Could turn out to be the best thing you haver ever done.

[jobob]

Lee & I had lunch at Sharffen Berger a couple of weekends ago and took the opportunity to re-stock the green bar supply. Didn't get enough though.

If memory serves, both Z and winddance work near the Ferry Building, where there happens to be a Sharffen Berger shop. Just sayin'.

Here's the green bar, btw
http://www.scharffenberger.com/prodi...er=3+OZ+KUMASI