Getting There is Only Half The Ride

I really didn't sleep very well. There was a family with 4 little kids next door playing a game very late. I heard another camper ask them to keep quiet but it didn't really help much. I finally popped an Ambien. Over the past few days I had been feeling a little sore throat thing happening. It wasn't enough to even mention much less hold me back. Friday morning I started feeling much worse. I took it easy and drank a lot of gatorade all day. Maybe the ride took more out of me than I thought. Edna, Mandy and I went to Costo and Freddies to get food for dinner and the retreat Potluck. Everything I did took so much effort - not good. We returned from shopping and started dinner. We feasted on rib-eyes and veggies. It was excellent!! We had also picked up a case of beer and 6 bottles of wine. I started to feel so bad I couldn't drink - definitely not a good sign. I said 'good night' early and went to bed. Saturday I woke up feeling worse and my stomach was acting up too. Good thing my campsite is right behind the bathroom. I decided to go on a 25 mile breakfast bike ride. I was slower than usual and I'm usually pretty slow. Barbara was nice enough to ride with me. I know her from some of the slug rides in Portland. We made it to the Pig 'n Pancake long after everyone else and I had settled into some delicious blueberry crepes. After an embarrassing trip to the bathroom we headed back to the campground. I told Barbara about my stomach woes and she offered me a ride home Sunday if I thought I needed it. Very generous. I was beginning to think that was a good idea. I met Michael Wolfe almost at the campgroung and he was very encouraging telling me I deserved to be tired. Everyone seemed to think I was tired from the ride from Portland. I think I was suffering a flu virus of some sort. I made it back just in time for a pit stop and then the annual picture. All the recumbents meet at a semi-circle of a campground parking lot for a panaramic picture. There were 118 bikes this year- a record. Afterwards, lots of people took turns riding my trike. Everyone was having so much fun. As the day wore on the runs to the bathroom increased. We did the poker run in record time. The retreat organizers give out a map of the bike trails with x's marking spots where a box of cards in envelops are located. The trails are all over grown and lush. The box is hidden somewhere in the wildlife. It's a fun way to ride the trails. Everytime we find a box there's a lot of wooping and hollering. I ended up with a set of 4's. The bike trails around the campground are extensive and very beautiful. We all went to the retreat potluck where I ate very little and had to run to the bathroom a couple of times. I was also starting to get feverish. The lighted bike parade was next on the agenda and is the centerpiece of the recumbent retreat. It is hillarious!! Everyone adds lights to their bikes and we ride through all the loops in the campground. The campers love it and many come back every year just to see it. It is so psychedelic. This parade is just down home, clean, good fun. The bikes are decked out in flourescent lights and appear to float along. As a rider there is almost a sense of vertigo. Greg, also on a trike, had music from the 20's and 30's accompanying us - it was perfect. I wish I had pictures of some of the bikes but it takes all my concentration to make sure I stay on the road and don't run into anyone. The parade takes about an hour. I was laughing trying to find my way back to my campsite. It was so dark I couldn't find the entrance to my loop. I ran into Kathy and Kirke who graciously lent me a headlamp to use to get to my camp. PPhheeww!! I was exhausted and needed to sleep. I settled in my tent and tried to go to sleep - no go. Soon I was up running to the bathroom. My fever increased and I started freezing in my sleeping bag. My whole body was shaking and I still had to get up and go to the bathroom. Is there much worse than camping with the runs? I knew there was no way I was riding back to Portland. Sunday morning, blurry eyed, wearing every peice of clothing I brought with me, I told the people I rode with I was going to need a ride home. Everyone came up witha solution in minutes. I couldn't believe how easy it was to get me and my trike back. Mike called his wife and had her hide my keys outside and put the trike rack out on the grass. It was decided Mandy and Chris would take my trike and I would ride with Edna and Dave back to Mike's. We broke down camp for the last time and left after the poker run prizes were given out. The drive back to Mike's was uneventful. It was over 90 in Portland and I still was wearing my jacket. After dropping me and my trike off at Mike's I was grateful to get home. The runs continued for almost a week - I lost some weight. It took another week to get my strength back. At first I was worried that biking might be too much for me and I would never be able to do a long distance ride on my own. As the days progressed and my health improved I decided I was just sick and if this happened on the road I would have no choice but to sit tight until I felt better. I'm still really excited and proud of the riding I did and really want to build on it.