Training Ride #5 Part 2

So pretty much there was the good:

1. The fact that there were not any flat tires
2. The games we played to pass the time on desolate roads- singing songs (good thing we are a biking team and not a choir is all I have to say lol), going through the alphabet with a category (ex. Disney Movies: Alice & Wonderland, Bambi, Cinderella, Dumbo, etc.)
3. Flying down downhills
4. My CamelBak :)  (I had my doubts about carrying one on my back, but it came in handy not only keeping me hydrated easily, but also for extra space for carrying stuff.)
5. The last 15 miles
6. The fact that it actually didn't rain 
7. Advil!
8. Baby Wipes
9. Crossing the Indiana State Border.  1st border crossing on my bike!
10. The fact that I did it

There was the bad:

1. Steep Uphills
2. Getting lost a handful of times
3. Detours due to flooded roads
4. Gravel Roads
5. >50 mile an hour winds
6. My quads tightening up

The ugly:

1. My knees hurting
2. All contact areas of my body to my bike seat hurt
3. Having to pee like a race horse (I never got this saying, but what was more frustrating was the fact that I was not on a horse, nor were we even close to racing speeds.  They kept telling me that a Casey's Gas Station was only 2 miles away.  Then 5 miles later- it was just 2 more miles.  Just a couple more...LIES!  I never made it to a Casey's until after I went in the woods.  It was more like 20 miles away.)

Probably one of the worst moments I had was right before our lunch break at about mile 50.  We were hungry, I had to pee, we were sore and tired after 50 miles and knew that we were barely over half way there.  We made it to a small park where the sag vehicle was waiting for us (a van will follow us during the trip to carry our bags, sleeping bags, and sleeping pads.  And also to carry water for refills and a cooler with food.)  We had PB&J's.  And I know I said that I did not care for PB&J's, but let me tell you it was the BEST PB&J I ever had.  But before the sandwich I still had to go to the bathroom- since we had not come across a Casey's yet.  And of course there were no bathrooms.  So I had to suck it up and go squat in the trees.  Problem is not only is it hard to squat after riding a bike for 50 miles, but I have had minimal experience going to the bathroom outside.  It is usually an experience I try to avoid at all  costs.  But this time I had no choice- and my lowest of all low moments was when I successfully managed to get pee on my bike shorts.  NOT OK!!!  I was livid.  However I was very lucky and had an extra pair of shorts packed in my bag which was in the van.  I got to change but it did not give me very positive thoughts.

We rode a total of 95 miles that day- just short of a century ride.  The ride took us 11 hours and 30 minutes including all of our rest stops and water breaks and detours.  We got in just as we were running out of sunlight.  We were lucky that the sag vehicle and the first groups in helped set up camp and all the tents.  I know for a fact I wouldn't have been able to handle setting up a tent in the dark after riding a bike for 90+ miles.  I would have lost it.  I almost did trying to find all my stuff and change clothes in the dark.  Also, there were no showers, so I got to "bathe" by wiping myself down with baby wipes.  I honestly can say that I reeked.  We all smelled.  Gross.  Gross. Gross.

Dinner was also already prepared for us- lentils and white rice. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm  But let me say that it was the BEST lentils and white rice I ever had.  Same with the sleeping arrangements.  I would not classify myself as a "camper" per say- I actually don't remember the last time I had been camping.  Something about outhouses and sleeping on the ground isn't appealing to me- but I was thrilled just to lay down on the sleeping pad.

I hit the sack fast as soon as I ate and washed my bowl with the water pump (in the dark).  The only person who passed out before me was Ron.  He surprisingly was just as sore and tired and disgruntled as I was.  His exact words were, "it was miserable."  Which I couldn't disagree.  And we still had to wake up at 6am to pack up camp, get ready and ride 30 miles back to Champaign the next day.  

Not that it was hard to wake up.  I didn't sleep very good and the Turkeys were gobbling at the crack of dawn (which thrilled Ron).  I got my bike clothes back on, repacked my bag, rolled up my sleeping bag and sleeping pad, took down the tent, checked my bike (put lights back on, check for air in tires, etc.)- a lot more than I usually accomplish before 7 a.m..

We had cereal for breakfast in the same bowls we had with our lentils.  You could definitely tell that we washed the dishes in the dark with all the leftover sediments in the bowl.  We re-washed our dishes, I brushed my teeth in the water pump, went to the bathroom (because I learned from the previous day never to pass up a bathroom even if you don't have to go) in the outhouse and was reminded why I never go camping.  I do not like camping and thank God that our team is only planning on camping about 3 or 4 times the entire summer.  The rest of our stay overs will be mostly in churches with electricity and running water.

And then miraculously, I have no idea how, I got back on my bike even though my butt was bruised and my body ached and I had gotten less than 10 hours of sleep the past 48 hours.  I rode with Ron in a group for the first time.  I think he was frustrated because he kept having to slow down for me or another girl in the group.  He just wanted to get the hell home.  We all did.  We made it back in town before noon.  

Having over a hundred miles behind us definitely opened my eyes.  Word for word, one of the board members and previous riders told us that this was supposed to give us a taste of what this summer was going to be like.  Gulp.  Actually a lot of four letter words came across my mind.   That ride was excruciatingly difficult.  And I have been laying in around like a vegetable ever since.  I have been hiding from my bike like it is going to buck me off it like a bull as soon as I get on.  I know this is detrimental in training- not training at all- which scares me even more.  

It was a very humbling experience to say the least.  And I'm sad to say that my excitement for this trip has been masked my fear ever since.  How the heck am I going to do that every day for 72 days???  Ron said himself, once we were on our way home to Springfield in the comfort of a car, that it was going to be a longggg summer if that is what it is going to be like.

I can't stop thinking what have I gotten myself into?  What if I will be miserable?  

I guess I have to hold fast to a prayer and just keep pedaling- like Dory says in Finding Nemo.  "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming."