Never say Never Again

"NEVER AGAIN!" were the first words out of my mouth when I arrived home on Sunday after a grueling day of biking, driving and mis-adventures. I told Liz to record these words and play them back to me if I decided to sign up for the LiveSTRONG Challenge Ride again. The 2009 Philly LiveSTRONG Challenge Ride was a tough day that started out on a sour note. I woke at 4:45 am after a fitful four hours of sleep. The day was hot and humid at 5:30 am. By 6 am when I arrived at Sue S.'s, things weren't any better. She was just as tired, if not more so, and was not looking forward to the day's 70 mile hilly ride ahead of us. Murphy's Law prevailed providing us with several mishaps in 20 minutes. Sue's garage door system failed and the door wouldn't close. Sue manually tried to close the garage door and jammed her fingers between two panels; her hand was trapped in the garage door and she was screaming in agony. I was strapped into the car passenger seat and couldn't unhook myself fast enough to help her. I leapt out of the car and tried, unsuccessfully at first, to pry the doors apart. More screams. I got her hand free but she needed ice and her house was locked - the keys were no-where to be found. Fortunately I had a frozen water bottle which we used to ice her fingers. After a half hour of running around trying to locate keys and phone and fetching ice and medicine, Sue realizes she can't bike nor will she be able to drive to the start of the event; I'll have to drive - on the Schyulkill - aka '76, the big highway of my driving fears. It was truly a do or die kind of moment, but I did it. Stopped at a gas station first and then onto 76 and out to Conshohocken and Montgomery County. My first time driving on the Schuylkill was perfect at 7 am on a Sunday. Good initiation because the highway wasn't congested and I could figure out how to merge in the tame morning traffic versus attempting a mid-day/mid-week drive in snarling traffic. By 7:45 am, we already had several adventures and I should have taken it as an omen.




At mile 42, I'm spent. Joel, from Bike Line - Valley Forge, pulls his SAG Wagon over, loads my bike into the back of the van, and takes me to the next rest stop.

1:30 pm: Upper Frederick Fire Department rest stop. I drink a lot of water and ice myself down. Doctors are on hand to treat people for leg cramps and heat exhaustion. They are offering anti-chafing lotions and Ben-Gay rub downs. I take one for by this time, my left knee is in a lot of pain. The medic diagnosis my knee issues and advises that I get an appointment with a specialist soon - I tell her that I've already been diagnosed with arthritis, it's a chronic condition made worse by my cycling. There are "bubbles" in my knee joint. Great! Another bad sign of the day.
More water, some rest and after a half hour or so, I feel revived. Maybe it's the camphor fumes, or just getting a lot of water in me, but I am felt strong again. I made a pact with myself, to try to ride to 50 miles and figure the ride out from there. Several people tell me that the worst is over but there are still many more hills to climb. I take solace in the fact that so many riders are feeling the effects of the heat and humidity and the endless hills, it's not that I am weak or inexperienced. Sometimes the conditions are too much for even the best of riders.

I kid you not! This was the first rest stop out and the last rest stop before the finish line. I push into the last rest stop - giving it all of my energy having biked 55 miles. As I park my bike, an experienced and long-time LiveSTRONG rider chats with me. I'm sure he can see I'm in bad condition. I'm not as far gone as I was at mile 42, but I'm heading to loopy-ville again. He takes me to the medics and they talk to me, lead me to the cots under the pine trees and make me lie down. Vitals are taken, ice is given and a ride is procured. A minyan of angels has come along to get me home.
I'm heading back in the SAG wagon having given it my best but I don't have another hill climb in me.
4 pm: Back at Montgomery Community College which was the starting
point, the SAG drivers, Ally and Tom, let me out of the van several yards away from the bike channel so I could cross the finish line. Crossing the finish line feels wonderful, like something out of the Tour de France Stages. I survived and finished, doing what I could with the best of my physical ability. I raised over $800. I rode over 55 miles, mostly by myself. I biked alone but with the spirit and help of so many unknown cycling "friends" and supporters. Never again? Hopefully not, but I hope that whatever my next ride may be, I don't have to bike it alone.

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