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Survivor Ride, '04 5/17This is the 1st day of a 3 day, pre-ride. Today I will ride to Moreno Valley to meet with my new friends, Jess & Mary. Jess has been having problems with depression (haven't we all!). This will be a 30 mile ride. Then, after lunch, I will go by car, to Hacienda Heights for 3 days with friends. 5/18This is a rest day. 5/19Today I took a 50 mile ride on the Santa Ana River Bike trail, to Huntington Beach, just to keep in practice. While I was on the trail I met Bob and Sally from Sun City – just to show it's a small world. 5/20Today started with a van assist through the infamous LA traffic. With the new trike and its much lower design, I opted not to challenge the morning commute. So my friend drove me to the beach in Santa Monica. By the time we found a safe area to offload and start the ride it was 9:AM. By 9:20 I was on my way. Where I started was wide, but within the 1st mile, that changed. So I put it in a higher gear (closed my eyes) and pedaled to a wider place. Once I got into the Malibu business district things got more comfortable. For lunch I chose to stop at a supermarket that had a deli, but soon learned of my error. The tuna on wheat sandwich was healthy to all but my wallet. The sandwich, a banana, a pound of Green grapes, and a drink lightened my wallet by $14.00. But I really enjoyed their outdoor patio and the warm sunshine. That made it almost worth the price. As I was coming into the south end of Oxnard my phone rang, and it was Wayne and Kay, the people that I was staying with, in Oxnard! They were checking my status, and were only a few minutes from me. So they met me, and even though I felt fine, we decided to throw the trike and trailer in their van and head to their home and dinner. So, with today's 39 miles, my "so far" total is 120 miles. Tomorrow will be a free day with my friends. 5/22I've been kinda lazy today. My friends drove me to Ventura, where we had breakfast with their neighbors Pete and Linda, who also ride LoGo trikes. Just as we got to the restaurant, we met 'Grampa' Jim B, one of the nicest recumbent riders in this area, on his P38. We invited him to join us and he did. What was nice is that after we ate, he rode with me for a few miles up the coast. That was welcomed, because I was kinda nervous about the ride ahead. Did I pack everything? Would I have tire problems? You know, all the things that keep us from having fun! Anyway, I rode 18 miles today, and I am camped at the Carpinteria State Beach. Tomorrow I will do 40 miles, minimum. If I get an early start, I may go farther. So far, on the days that I ride, I feel better as the day progresses. All the aches and pains are there to contend with, but they are there anyway. So why should I not have some fun? 5/23This day was the day that started the work phase of this ride. It has happened, at some point, on every trip. Sometimes as early as day 2. This day started off wrong due to a lack of sleep, brought about by a poor choice of tents. I brought a new bivy shelter. A tent that I had never camped in, but a tent that is very light to carry. But the bivy has very little extra space for moving around. It didn't take long to find that this was not a good choice for someone with a mobility disorder. I have also been hampered with urinary problems. I got up at 6:30AM, but by the time I finished breakfast (at IHOP), it was 9:30A. I arrived at El Capitan at 4:30PM, & was greeted by a wind that wouldn't let me put anything down. As soon as my body heat went down, I found it was also, very cold. To try to warm up, I tried to take a hot shower, but there was none. I put a quarter in the 1st shower & found, only cold water. With hope, I tried the only other available shower, & found "warm" water. Warm water was all they had, but it helped. I managed to get warm enough to stop shivering. But the wind was unforgiving, & blew 'til after 2:AM. I think I slept from then, until 4:30AM, when the winds started up again. Without a usable tent it got too cold, too quick. So to try to get warm I went up into the shower building to get out of the wind. This helped, but it didn't help me get the, much needed, sleep I had missed. By 6:AM I knew that I'd survived the night, but little did I know that I would have another hurtle to jump. 5/24When I rode into El Capitan I knew there would be no available restaurants to get a dinner, & I was prepared for that. But what I didn't know (but should have) is that there was No Food Available for the next 36 miles, or until I got to my next day's destination (Lompoc). I knew there was a general store at El Capitan, but it was closed. I also knew that there was a general store at Refugio Campgrounds, 2 miles north. I just didn't know that it was only open on Sat. & Sun. So the only choice I had was to continue north. I thought, if I made it to the jct of 101 & 1, that I had a chance of catching a ride into Lompoc. But it took every ounce of strength I could muster to ride the 15 miles to the Gaviota rest area to get safely off US Hwy101. Usually, I am told that nobody would guess that I am sick, from how I look. But I was approached 3 different times by concerned people who asked if I was ok. One gentleman noticed that I was having trouble putting on my windjacket, & asked if he could help. I knew that if it was that apparent to the people who don't know me, then it's time to listen to my body. One of my friends told me that my "I Never Give Up" motto would, someday, turn around & bite me in the butt", but I don't feel that I "gave up". I feel that if I had gone on, that I could have done irreparable damage to the only body that I have. By terminating the ride when I did, I'll be back to riding in a week or less. My sincerest thanks to Kaye & my friends at Phillip's Aerospace for the rescue. 5/25Day off. 5/26I got on my Penninger trike this morning at 10:30AM, & rode 3 miles to my favorite restaurant, & had breakfast. It was a pretty slow ride, but I got there! 5/29With the help of friends, I will be at
the Great Western Bicycle Rally today!! (INGU) + May mi. 163 Total 357 (so far)
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