Well..here I am again..safe and sound, thats the important thing...the last few days have been very difficult, especially today.
Let me start with yesterday, monday...monday we had great intentions...however the first thing I needed to do was get a new seat, as my saddle had broken making it impossible to ride...we were in luck, of course, as the only bike store between Nashville and Knoxville was right on our doorstep..I walked tentatively into the store, Cookeville Bikes in Cookville, to be met with a group of cheerful young guys, I was sore, and trying to hide it...more about that later. " I need a new saddle I proclaimed, mine has busted..and I am cycling to Washington DC..."
" Let us help you!" proclaimed one of the guys back at me! We engaged in conversation ...
Soon, I was talking freely to all the guys telling them about my exploits, the fun, the pain, the frustration the experiences of my cross cycle ride....One of them suggested calling the local newspaper and having them come out to write a story and take our pictures, as my wife knows I love the opportunity for a camera shot and so Chris and I and the gang from Cookville Bikes had our picture taken together for the local newspaper...
Whilst inside the store we met another lady. I do not remember her name, but I remember that she actually came from McLean, Virginia, and used to live about 5 miles from where my family lives.
She had been a cancer research scientist and her husband had been an avid cyclist, as was she, hence her being in the bike shop....until he passed away after a battle with Lymphoma. It was sad to keep on hearing how many people are effected by this illness, yet it still seems to me, that on the whole, society turns more away from this than anything.
I believe that I have come to the conclusion that people do not get it..! I watch men and women buy dollar a pop Lottery tickets hoping to win a jackpot, and yet what I should tell them is that they have a million more times chance of dying from leukemia and lymphoma than they do from winning the Lottery...so why not give money to research than wasting it on dreams...
Anyhow, the guys in the bike shop were terrific...and I know they are reading this...I gave them my website and they checked it out right away...lol...so I know they are impatient for the posts of today and the one I missed yesterday...
Well after I had the bike seat fixed, the tyre rechecked the gears all given a once over, we were able to get on our way..however the weather looked like it was turning nasty...heavy afternoon showers had been predicted and the prediction looked like it was accurate...
We set out in hope, after an hour of riding, forget it, the heavens opened up, the entire atlantic ocean looked like it was coming out of the sky...forget riding, you could not keep your eyes open with the volume of rain hitting you...we packed up the bike and set off back to town..it was closer to go back to Cookeville than go forward...the afternoon was rained out, overcast and we had not accomplished very much riding.
Tuesday morning was upon us....I needed an early start....I was sore, now let me revisit this...I have ridden almost 2400 miles so far across country..there is a part of my skin that is almost worn out...I mean raw, red and almost blistered...I have been in pain for the last three days with terrible chaffing...yesterday at the bike store..they recommended a product to me...it was called Chamois BUTT (er) ..it is literally a cream that allows the fabric of your shorts to glide over your skin, and keeps it from chaffing...
Now I was kind of sceptical as I have played sports for years and used all kinds of products, but guys from Cookeville..you literally saved my behind! I cannot express just how awesome that product was...I mean it was like I could ride all day long...it was amazing stuff! However, the ride I had today from Cookeville to East Knoxville was something else...local knowledge rules the day..so I can only imagine that the guys from Cookeville decided to make me work for my supper that night...Guys come on..were you trying to punish me..lol...I guess you forgot to tell me about Monterey.." the town that meets the clouds.." and OZONE..I wonder why its called Ozone..maybe because its in the ozone layer..lol...
I have to say though that it was the most beautiful of rides, even though it was a tough day riding...
I was very paranoid that we were going to get rained out again with predictions of heavy rains in the afternoon, it was why I left early..I went fast and smooth, but 40 miles into the day, just after acting like a Tour Pro...my hamstring went...I mean just almost exploded...I had a cramp so bad, that my leg felt like it had been twisted up like a pretzel...
I was in so much pain, I had to get off the bike and roll around the floor in pain for at least 5 minutes in writhing pain..I could hardly walk..I limped...I limped more...that was it folks,,, that's all she wrote...I had torn my hamstring, it felt like someone had stuck the back of my leg with a knife....the journey was over...
However, I had to reach Chris, he was still 4 miles down the road, and out of cell coverage. I was just getting his voicemail..okay..let me just get back on the bike and cycle gently ..and walk up the hills I thought...!
I hopped back on, and started out tentatively...it was bad..it really was bad...there was no way I thought I could continue..but I figured, well let me tough it out for a mile or so...I was heartbroken...less than 650 miles to go....and an injury had ripped the finishing line from me...I have to tell you, that I was listening to the radio at the time, and I had on a mild station that was playing a rather soppy song...and the tension just broke in me..I was missing my wife and children, I was hurting in pain..I was going to end the ride as a loser and the music was making me emotional. Everything about me hurt, my pride, my muscles, my dedication, my leg..my emotions...every pedal was torture. I must have looked a sight to oncoming traffic, with a pained tearful grimmace on my face..pushing myself just a little more up a hill...! What..up a hill...hang on....rewind...I was going up a hill...I thought I was dying a minute ago. Okay it was sore, but I was moving up a hill and working myself through the pain...then on the radio came the song that changed my mood altogether......and all I could do was think of my beautiful wife waiting for me urging me on to the finish as I listened and worked through my pain......
Listen, baby
Ain't no mountain high enough
Ain't no valley low enough
Ain't no river wide enough, baby
If you need me, call me
No matter where you are
No matter how far
Just call my name
I'll be there in a hurry
You don't have to worry
'Cause baby,
There ain't no mountain high enough
Ain't no valley low enough
Ain't no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you
There ain't no mountain high enough
Ain't no valley low enough
Ain't no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you
No wind, no rain
My love is alive
Way down in my heart
Although we are miles apart
If you ever need a helping hand
I'll be there on the double
As fast as I can
Don't you know that
There ain't no mountain high enough
Ain't no valley low enough
Ain't no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you
Please everyone ....I want you to go to this web link address..it will make you all smile for the rest of the day...
http://www.superlaugh.com/1/mountain.htm
Anyhow, I met up with Chris and managed to get some pain cream rubbed into my hamstring, took a few antiinflammatory tablets and rested for a few moments..I was good to go...not once for the rest of the afternoon did my leg bother me, even though it was very much on my mind..as it is now.
As I rode the rest of the day, something else bothered me, I had been riding across the entire country from west to east...and have seen many states to date..Tennessee has become almost like a second home to me, so I am very proud of the state's heritage...so this bothered me....guys..you have to pick up your litter...Tennessee is one of the most beautiful natural states you could ride or drive through, yet it has to rank as the worst state I have ridden through to date for trash thrown from cars onto the beautiful areas and surroundings...please...don't ignore the Do not litter signs...have a little more respect for your most beautiful of States!
So late afternoon...the rain comes..ohh boy..the rains pour down on us again...this time it is just for a 30 minute period, but the rain came..heavy, sheeting, nasty and cold..spring in Tennessee..Chris came back for me, it was just too rough to ride..I dried up, put a new set of clothes on waited the rain out and set off again.,,With the lack of riding yesterday, it was important to make up some miles, and make them up handsomely we did..with the new formula for grease on my behind, my new saddle in place..and that is so so comfortable..I was pushing the miles..Knoxville was almost upon us..and then it was gone..we had blasted right through Knoxville to the east side...today was the longest ride I have done in terms of hours..for almost 9 hours today I sat on a bike saddle moving my legs going up and down hills...I am going to regret it I know....
Tonight we sit in our Walmart parking lot, in a little town of Chilhowee having covered a wonderful 130 miles today, tomorrow I pick up my father-in-law from Bill's house in Greenville TN..
I have driven from Greenville to DC and vice versa so much in the last 7 years that my car knows the way blindfolded..this time I have to do it on a bike..but every town I pass after tomorrow is a town that has a memory etched in my head ..I am coming home....
With yesterdays little accounted for 30 miles and todays monster ride...we have covered 2357 miles in 26 days....
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