ed's BAK journey: day 6 (and end of the road)...

BAK Day 6, June 10, 2009, Ed's report:
Leg 6 (last leg for me) Halstead - River Valley Rd. outside Towanda
My Last Leg

No stats (my computer broke on mile 10, there's some foreshadowing for ya)

I'm done. And I am sad. I worked really hard for this, but it was not meant to be. Before I start waxing philosophically, here's what happened. I woke up to my lovely wife's quiet voice. My body felt good: not sleeping on a gym floor will do that for a person. I packed everything up, being careful not to forget anything (it's hard to leave things behind in a gym where there was nothing there beforehand). We went to the cash machine, then to the coffee shop, and were on the road by 5:45a. I got to Halstead in time to meet a buddy for breakfast at 6:30a, then load my gear on the truck. I was supposed to meet them at 7:00a to head out, but they were nowhere to be found.

I waited a few minutes, then decided to go, thinking I might catch up with them. My leg was achy from the start, but I was going off of the previous day, when it hurt for 30 miles then cleared up. I forged ahead. It was mild temperature, but misty/rainy, the kind of day I imagine they get a lot of in Scotland. The droplets were collecting on my glasses and making bigger drops, which would drop off once in a while. The first part of the ride was on the same route I took for the Wicked Wind 50: Halstead to Sedgwick, then to Park City. My computer stopped recording data or showing my speed or distance just as I rolled in to Sedgwick, around mile 10. I stopped and did everything I could to try to get it to work, but it nothing worked, so I clipped back into the pedals and kept going.

My leg was slowly getting more and more achy the further I traveled, and the rain got worse. I started getting soaked. But I kept going. A few miles past Park City, I noticed my back wheel felt really loose. I stopped to check it out, and I had almost no pressure in my tire. This was the same one that had blown out on Leg 1. I flipped the bike upside down, removed the back tire, and put in a fresh new tube. It took about ten minutes. I kept going, and a few miles ahead there was a rest stop. I saw my long lost high school classmate, and joined with her group. We kept going east, into the wind and rain. After another ten miles (I'm guessing, again with the broken computer) we turned south and had a blessed tail wind. But my knee was really starting to ache. I figured it was temporary, and pedaled harder like I had yesterday.

We continued south for about five miles, then turned east. After going about a mile, I dropped off the pack to stretch my knee. While there my companion appeared and I told him about the knee. He gave me some stuff that's supposed to make it feel cold, so I put that on and kept going. But my knee ached badly, this time in a slightly different way. I had to go up a hill, and I knew I was in danger. I saw a rest stop at the top of the hill and stopped. This stop, at the intersection of SW Parallel Road and River Valley Road just north of Towanda, was where my BAK dreams died.

I sat down and saw that my right knee was very swollen. I showed my companion, then got some ice to help with the swelling. I sat there for awhile, wondering what I should do. I called Beka, iced my knee some more, and talked it over with my companion, who to his credit realized the situation and didn't take off down the road. I then made what for me was a very tough choice: to stop there, not fulfill my BAK journey, but not cause any further damage to my knee. As I write this it seems like a no-brainer (why cause further injury?) but when I was sitting on the side of the road with an ice bag on my knee, which was not getting any less swollen, I decided yesterday was a fluke, and the pain was not going to go away this time. I made the call to Beka, and she was out there in a matter of minutes. We loaded up the bike, thanked everyone for their help, said goodbye to my companion, and headed home.

Now I am not normally an emotional person, but on the rude home I broke down and wept for a good 15 minutes (again, no computer to help with time). All the frustration of the headwinds, fighting through pain for hundreds of miles, and all the other small frustrations poured out of me. I was frustrated, sad, angry, in physical pain, and soaked to the skin from the rain. We got home, took everything into the house, I changed into dry clothes, and fell asleep on the same couch where I had started that day.

I woke up a couple hours later and Beka drove me to my doctor to see what was wrong with the knee. The first thing he said was how swollen it was. Duh... Then he moved it around and tried to bend it, which caused extreme pain, it hurts just thinking about it. He then said it was most likely a pinched meniscus, and put me in a brace that keeps my leg straight. I have to rest it for a week then come back so he can take a second look.

Thinking now, as we return from getting my bags from Eureka, it is too soon to decide whether I want to do this again. I met some great people, but the pain I went through for so many days will make me think long and hard about how to train for another BAK and whether long distance, multi-day rides are for me, or whether I should stick to more casual cycling to stay in shape and relieve stress. Thank you to all of you who left encouraging comments. I read them all and they made a real difference. I think I will look back on this as a growing and overall positive experience, and I'm glad I could share this experience with you all.

ed's BAK journey: day 5...

BAK Day 5, June 9, 2009, Ed's report:
Leg 5 St. John - Halstead
78.81 miles
13.8 mph average
21.8 mph max
5:41:02 total time

Leg 5 began at the same time: 5:45 a.m., except my companion actually woke up on time (I gave him a friendly nudge after returning from brushing my teeth). He and I set off at 6:30a, with a new friend, for 'all you can eat pancakes.' I had four, plus two patties of sausage, coffee and OJ. It was excellent. We then met up with two other new friends, and the five of us set off for yet another record setter (for me at least): 78 miles.

We left right at 7:00a. My knee was again bugging me, so I took it easy. Thankfully two others in the group wanted to go easy as well, so we made our way with a straight headwind on our faces and ominous clouds everywhere (hence the 50% chance of rain). My knee bugged me for 35 straight miles, and I was getting REALLY fed up. I wanted to quit right there at the lunch stop (the food was excellent, by the way. Best homemade strawberry pie I've ever had). That point was by far my lowest on this journey. We set off from lunch with the clouds even worse, and I continued with them for another 5 miles, my knee bugging me all the way. At that point I decided enough was enough, and I took off at my regular pace, left the group behind, and reconciled myself to the idea that if I was going out today, I was going out with a bang (but hopefully not a literal bang from my knee). I pushed hard, and for some reason my knee pain started getting better. The wind was still brutal, but at least my knee was holding.

*ed didn't tell me what these are pictures of, i'm assuming their lunch stop with the group of guys he was riding with*

*same as above*

I started picking off cyclists ahead of me one by one, keeping my head down to buck the wind. I continued that way for another 30 miles. We had to make a few turns to get to the right roads, and it seemed like every time I turned, I was still heading into the wind. It was very strange. I felt myself starting to fade I the last eight mile stretch into Halstead, but found a buddy to chat with, and that helped pass the time as the wind pushed hard against me.

I got into Halstead feeling like I had nothing left, but when I got to the camp I immediately felt my spirits boost, as I realized I had not only set a personal distance record, but also had conquered the hardest physical and emotional challenge I have had cycling. I got a shower, then a massage, this time from the other girl, and tried to make some phone calls, but had no cell service. I asked a local and he said if I had AT&T I would have to go three miles north of town. I found a landline, made my calls, and wrote this update. It is now 5:30, and I have family coming to see me and eat dinner. I can't wait. To eat, that is.

*a little evening entertainment to eat by, these guys were playing some bluegrass and it sounded great*

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*FWR here now. Ed did great yesterday and I'm so impressed with his record setting days (he'll have another today) and his ability to stick with it. I realized looking at his stats he rode longer than I have ever run, and I think he is amazing. The Kansas wind is no joke, and to ride into that for 5:45:00 is brutal. He is being humble, Ed is kicking total ass! I work with a BAK veteran (he has done it 10+ times, but not this year) and I was talking to him at work in the hallway yesterday telling him about Ed's stats and journey, this guy was seriously impressed and proud of Ed. So GO ED!

And coughahem... not only family went up to see Ed and eat dinner with him, but I did as well. I got to see the incredible set up and effort that BAK takes, I have an entirely new appreciation for what this event entails. Ed writes all his updates on his iPhone (not an easy feat), so hopefully once he makes it home Saturday evening he can post more about how the whole operation works, it is seriously amazing. I am now convinced I need to do this event, Ashley at Journey to a Better Me and I are thinking of doing it next year. Ashley, we soooo need to do it!

Since Halstead is only 45 minutes from Wichita, I brought Ed home last night. He needed the rest and relaxation and comfort of being home for a night. I think seeing me, my parents, his parents and grandparents made him feel supported and really boosted his spirits. The gigantic iced mocha we stopped for this morning at 5:30a on our way back to Halstead didn't hurt either. It has already been a long morning for me, speaking of, I need to get going, time for this girl to work. It's a misty dreary morning and the BAKers look to have a challenging day ahead, so keep Edder in your thoughts and prayers. Thankfully, after sleeping at home last night, Ed's knee wasn't hurting one bit this morning! Oh and Ed's new riding partners are on the ball and good at heading out bright and early... and on time. I got to meet some of his companions last night, they are really great guys.

Last thing, Ed is really loving all the bloggy love, he greatly appreciates it! So thanks interwebs, keep the kind comments coming, on rough days it really boosts his spirits!

ed's BAK journey: day 4...

BAK Day 4, June 8, 2009, Ed's report Jetmore - St. John (no not the island):
77.74 miles
15.3 mph average
23.4 mph max
5:04:17 total time

Today began the same as yesterday: rustling in the gym at about 5:30a, and the feeling I could have slept longer. Laid there for ten more minutes, then got up, brushed my teeth, and packed up my apartment. Breakfast was just outside the gym, and consisted of breakfast burritos, bananas, milk and coffee. The burritos were clearly not of the homemade variety, but calories are calories (or so I keep telling myself).

*the ark river somewhere between jetmore and st. john*

Got done eating at about 6:30a, and noticed I had not yet heard from my companion. Went ahead and got the bike ready, and went to see what the holdup was this time. They had not even woken up their daughter yet, much less gotten packed or fed. My companion's wife commented about how I must be one of those weird people who have to get going right away. I replied that most of the bikes were already gone, thank you very much, so I was not the weird one, they were just slow.

I waited until 7:00a outside, and after learning that they had not packed or eaten yet, I took off for the longest ride of my cycling experience: 77 miles. It started out nice: pretty sunrise, light breeze. Within 20 minutes, a blanket of clouds covered the sky, the wind picked up, and it got cold, around 50 degrees. It stayed that way for 43 miles, straight headwind, 50-55 degrees, until Larned. Plus my right knee was flaring up. Time to stop.

I went to a craft shop/cafe called Scraps and had a hot mocha and a breakfast panini to warm up and get some food. I think Scraps is a bad name for a place that serves food. The food did taste good, though, so after resting for about 30 minutes I headed out again. I took a few minutes to stretch, which didn't help much, and took off.

On the second half of the leg my knee kept hurting, but I saw a high school classmate at one of the rest stops, and riding with her the last 20 miles kept my mind off the discomfort. She actually graduated with my brother, two years before me, but it was a small school.

Got into St. John and promptly iced my knee, then had my massage. My companion made it in and we went to one if the several dinners offered to the BAK'ers. The hospitality there was truly first-rate. Great dinner, sat out in the town square while a local band played, and chatted with my new friends made this week. Went back to the school, was very tired. Listened to the weather report (headwinds and 50% chance of thunderstorms) and went to bed dreading the thought of 78 soggy and windy miles.

*the st. john courthouse (he's a lawyer what did you expect)*

*dinner time for fellow BAK'ers in st. john*

*made it to st. john and spotted this 4-person tandem, how the heck?!*

ed's BAK journey: day 3...

I realize this is my third post today, but friends and family are watching my blog for updates on Ed's BAK (bike across kansas), so this will be it for today, and we are caught up. Today was BAK day three. Ed is doing well, sounding happier than Friday, his knee is holding up.

Here at home I am getting a lot done (i.e. cleaning and eating haagen dazs coffee ice cream) while Milo is keeping a tight watch out the window hoping his papa will drive up any minute--Milo sure does love him some papa. He will have a long wait. We are having thunderstorms in Wichita tonight, while Ed is in Jetmore and says it is sunny and beautiful. I hope it stays that way where the riders are.

Ed should be sending pictures for me to update with soon. Hopefully on some of his SAG stops tomorrow he will take a few photos... HINT HINT EDDER! Kansas can be a beautiful place, and I want to prove it!

BAK Day 3, June 7, 2009, Ed's report:

Leg 3 - Syracuse to Jetmore
56.18 miles
18.5mph average
31.9 mph max speed
3:01:31 total time

Woke up to the sound of rustling bags at 5:40a five minutes before my alarm was set to wake me up. I wanted to keep sleeping, after going 70 miles on about three hours of sleep I was pooped. I got up and the gym was still dark, just like it had been in Syracuse. Put my 'apartment' back into my two travel bags, brushed my teeth and texted my companion. He and his family were just getting roused, so I aired up my tires, put on sunscreen, and waited. I called then texted, but got no response, so I headed out to find breakfast, not knowing whether my knee would act up again.

I rode to McDonalds (yes, Pizza Hut then McDonalds in the course of 12 hours) and it was PACKED with riders. I waited in line 20 minutes, then ordered three pancakes, eggs, sausage, iced coffee, OJ, and milk. Biggest breakfast I have ever ordered, and it all went into the furnace.

Set out from breakfast solo, taking it easy so as not to hurt the knee again. Had slight tailwind, and rode solo for first 5-10 miles. Another solo rider at some point began drafting off me, and we continued that way for the next 10 miles, so I backed off so we were side by side and met my riding friend, Nancy. She used to live in Wichita but now lives in College Station, TX, and is a cycling trainer. She's in her late 40s and has been cycling for 20 of them.

*a mere flesh wound... or just bike grease on the road warriors calf*

We skipped the lunch stop, as it hadn't opened yet and neither of us were hungry. My knee was holding out, but I could tell it was still irritated, so I was cautious not to push at my normal pace. This was good, because I had opened up the speed and Nancy couldn't keep up, so she helped me push at a reasonable pace and not at full blast.

At about mile 30 we passed one of the BAK RVs. It is around 30 feet long (one of the full size traveling kind). It was sitting sideways to the road, the back half in the ditch. We continued past as the police directed traffic.

The last 20 miles was at an easy pace. I didn't push hard, as I didn't want a repeat of the previous day. Somewhere in the hills (you think Kansas is flat? Take a ride with me sometime) I lost Nancy, so I continued to the finish, and she showed up about ten minutes behind. She does not like hills, and they slowed her way down.

I got to Jetmore early, about 10:45a, and helped unload the baggage truck. I got some lunch (that's another story), had my massage, and fell asleep. I woke up just in time to eat dinner and buy a spare tube from Bicycle Pedaler's traveling store.

*the bikes lined up outside jetmore highschool*

*one of the BAK box trucks, hauling all the participants gear. there are 805 riders this year*

*the jetmore high school, this is where ed is sleeping tonight *

There is a unique feel to this week. A definite sense of camaraderie here, very friendly people here for the same goal of a fun week cycling across our fair state. If my knee holds out, this could end up being a fantastic week.
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*it's FWR again, feel free to leave a comment just for ed, he is reading them every night! let him know we are all rooting for him!! if not here, then on FB if you have him as a friend. don't worry, i made him promise to get scenery pictures tomorrow.*

ed's BAK journey: day 2...

BAK Report Day Two. Saturday, June 6, 2009, from Ed himself:

Leg One - Colorado Border to Syracuse:
Drove to the border by dawn's early light Saturday morning. 17 miles back to town. Was supposed to do it Friday night, but it was too dark when we arrived. Did not feel strong on this leg, so rode easy. Made me wonder, if the first 17 miles feels like this, what about the other 550?! Punctured rear tire one mile outside Syracuse, had to use emergency CO2 inflator to get back to town (Andy had left me in the dust miles before). Got back with tire pressure to spare, thank goodness. Just in time for a BIG plate of biscuits and gravy (my personal favorite).

Leg Two - Syracuse to Garden City:
Leg 2 literally began when I finished my B&G. Packed up my apartment, put it in the trunk of Andy's car, and set to work fixing my flat tire. This normally takes 20 minutes tops. This time it took 90. Could not find the hole in the tube, a Good Samaritan gave me a new tube which was a slightly different size. Installed that tube and quickly realized it was not going to fit well. It was too big. Tried anyway, and it promptly spring a leak from trying to wedge it into place. Went back to original tube, eventually found the leak, and it held.

By the time we hit the road it was 10:00 and quickly getting warm. We struck off to do Leg 2 as fast as we could before the full heat of the day set in. We were blessed with a strong tailwind, so we maintained 25+ mph most of the time. Unfortunately my companion likes to make frequent stops, so it kept getting hotter. We kept pushing and got into Garden City when it was 93 degrees, and my right knee failed. I could not bend I without stabbing, excruciating pain, so I clipped out of the pedal and rode the last 4 miles through town pedaling with just my left foot.

Got to Garden City Community College and hobbled around to get my bags to a sleeping spot, and decided an immediate shower was in order. I had easily 200 gnat bodies on each arm and 500 on each leg. This has never happened before, and it was gross. Got cleaned up and gnat- free and made a beeline (if bees could hobble) to the traveling massage therapist. They go to every multi-day cycling event, so they know how to deal with cycling pains. Got a 30-minute leg massage, which hurt SO bad, iced my leg, texted Beka's sister who is a P.A. to find out how much Aleve I could take without hurting myself, and laid down for a nap.

*the 'commune' at GCCC on day two of BAK*

There was no fundraiser dinner for us (depending on the city an organization of some sort, like a rotary club, etc. provide the riders with a free dinner to raise money), so we went to Pizza Hut and ate. And ate. And ate some more. I felt like a glutton. And I drank probably 1/2 gallon of iced tea. It was not great pizza (if you want truly great pizza you need to go to Knolla's in Wichita of course) but it was LOTS of calories, which fit the bill. Went back, laid down, listened to the evening report from the leaders (apparently a 52-year old man had a heart attack on Leg 1 and died) and laid down again.

My inflatable mattress had sprung a leak, but that didn't matter. Within 10 minutes of lights out (10:00 p.m. on the button) I was asleep. I slept great considering the accommodations, and woke up at 5:45. My knee felt much better, but I was still very worried it would not make it through Leg 3. I packed up my apartment, put it this time in the traveling box truck, and got ready for Leg 3.

ed's BAK journey: day 1...

Do to a number of circumstances, Ed's first day of BAK turned out horridly, and it was out of his hands. Not a great way to start for a guy who is beyond busy at work and could have used that time to bill hours. To sum, on Friday he was supposed to be at the start city of the race (syracuse, ks) by 4p to register and get the first 15 miles of the ride out of the way. He left his hectic schedule at 12p to do so. But nothing went as planned and they didn't even leave town until 4p, by no fault of Ed's. So frustrating.

Ed rode out with his friend that is doing BAK with him, his friend's wife and their three year old daughter went along to drive the car back. They didn't get to Syracuse until 8:30p Friday night due to some very bad planing and decisions on the part of the people he rode out there with (and i'm trying to be nice here, needless to say these people deserve to be punched in the unmentionables, there was some lividness going on, even on my part). Just some unvelievably bad decisions there.

Ed didn't get dinner that night, not the best circumstance for having to ride 70 miles the next day. They wouldn't have had to ride those 70 miles if they had gotten to Syracuse at the time they had planned. He was PISSED. Who wouldn't be? So instead of riding their 15 miles Friday night, they got up and drove out to the Colorado border by 6a yesterday morning and rode back to Syracuse to have breakfast and start the rest of the ride with everyone else. This was after a sleepless night for Ed where his brand new air mattress deflated thanks to a hole. Luck was not on his side this first few days of the BAK.

When they got into Syracuse, Ed's back tire had deflated and it took two hours to fix. Plus Ed was diagnosed with 'runners/bikers' knee last Thursday, so his knee has really been bothering him. But they got started and rode the 52 miles to Garden City, KS. They got there by about 1p, got some lunch, Ed got cleaned up, got a massage and was feeling MUCH better about everything. The massage therapist told him his IT band was tight, which was contributing to his knee problem.

Hmmm, I'm pretty sure Ed's wife... coughaheam... told him about two weeks ago when his knee started bothering him that he should stretch his IT band and use his wife's...coughahem...foam roller and perhaps it would help. Yeah... nope, didn't listen to the wife, but sure did believe the massage therapist. That Ed! Well as long as he listens to someone and starts taking care of himself, that is all I care about. He has scheduled to have the massage therapist work on him after every ride, this is an amazing feat for Ed... oh if you only knew interwebs!

Here are Ed's stats and some pictures day one of BAK.

*a line of bikes, ed's is the first one, it's keeping the trash can in check*

Day one, June 6, 2009. Colorado border to Garden City, KS:
Leg 1 (co. border to syracuse)
16.78 miles
15.6 mph average
20.4 max speed
1:04:37 total time

Leg 2 (syracuse to garden city)
52.46 miles
20.0 mph average (minimum based on partial data)
36.7 max speed
2:32:00 total time (estimate based on partial data)

*ed's apartment on the road*

GO ED! Feel free to send your prayers and good wishes his way for the rest of the week. I'm so proud of my amazing Edder!