BiG O....My NeMeSiS

I heard that word more than once this weekend.....

Man, if there is such thing as bad luck, well I experienced it.

As we rolled out of town in my Vehicle, I forgot to strap down the rear wheel of my tire. Hit a particular cool whoopty whoop section on the Turnpike which caused my bike to raise up and over and take out my rear glass on my car.

Scared the crap out of Rob and I, but we backtracked back to his house and switched everything around. Whatever is all I could say, its a $310 repair, yay!!!

Eventually we make it to Okeechobee, find a mexican restaurant, grab food, Bill and Kevin Hoover show up to join in the pre ride day festivities and not long after Jonathan showed up.

The plans to stealth camp were laid to waste by the sheer fact that we didnt know what the locals would be like, and you know what they say about things that go bump in the night. Let's just say we didnt want to become anyones Idea of something to bump at night, we opted to accept Bill's offer for floor space. I was super cool with the concept and after I emerged from the bathroom, Bill apparently felt the need to ONE UP himself and offered me his double bed and he slept with his son. I really felt it was entirely too generous, but didnt put up much of a fight either and Rob joined in on the other half of the bed that felt as hard as the floor. Jonathan grabbed some floor space and I gave him my sleeping bag to help him stay warm.

The sleep was deep but brief and without much fuss, everyone got up and got ready and we rolled out. I admittedly had a score to settle and got right to work. I was on the pedal and the bars from jump putting down a steady pace. We checked out the new docks, rolled off the pavement into the dirt, all the while continuing to put a steady pace down. Eventually you could see the hints of dawn coming and I suggested that we stop and observe the sun rising over the lake.

At that point, rob had found a sweet spot to do this at, and his GPS said it would take us to the lakes edge. We rolled parallel to the canal, but never quite made it, and just stopped at a good spot and observed the sun rise, then got rolling again. The miles were clicking away and it all seemed alot easier then the first time I did it.

I was not only out to seek revenge on this gigantic lake, but I was also out to do a shakedown ride for my CFITT exploring the set up and the new gear combo. I was in love with the gear combo but did notice some skipping while pacing with Jonathan threw the tall bumpy grassy area. Maybe its the chain???

Anyhow, we tried a store for coffee, no dice, we continued on and made the next stop and scored snacks and coffee, good times.

We kept the pace up and going and eventually, conditions got hotter and we had a really long stop at the moorehaven campground while we waited to regroup and I basically took a bath fromm the faucet.

Once we regrouped we rode on, made Clewiston, at this point, the heat was getting good and we were all refilling on water at each spot. We rode on, and finally made Belle Glade, only to find out a section was closed for construction, we took the road into town and found a restaurant to eat at.

Up to this point, I was having an extremely good ride. Considering this was my third ride of the month, I was in as top a form as I could be. I ordered, some jack cheese, grilled chicken sandwich, with Fries. I thought it was just meat and fries, but it turned out to be a sandwich. I would later regret this choice.

Immediately aftef I left I didnt feel right. Then we hit the nap spot, I took a short but brief rest, and then everyone kind of left before I could catch them. I honestly didnt even try to catch them cause I didnt feel I had the energy. Symptom number one Lethargic.

Then, When we finally made Port Mayaka, I let the group know that I really needed to rest. My body just kept telling me to lay down. I did, and that is when we made an epic mistake. We realized that there was no water for the next 20 miles. There actually was a bar, and some houses, but at that point we didnt know that. They wanted to go ahead and get water as we were all low, I told them, I am going to ride. I kept riding, they sped off, in fact everyone sped off. The Lathargic feeling came on stronger than ever. I stopped in the shade. I was HOT and Sleepy.

Then I dry heaved like two times, experienced the single worst stomach pain I have ever experienced, felt like someone stabbed me with a sword threw my gut, and I started throwing up. I did that for a couple of minutes. Got tired of smelling it, decided to move down aways from it. I laid down again, was getting tired of laying in the sand and gettting bit by mosquitos and ants crawling on me. I figured this is what hell must be like.

I drank some water, and the vomit came up again.... Fantastic, the chunks were flying. After the final session of release, I got up and felt suprisingly chipper. I felt strong again and decided, well let me get going again. It was at that point that I realized it must have been the food, and at that point I made the connection, last time I felt like this after a meal was on the spring love bike tour with the bird, and I had Fries that day too??? And I did it again, after talking to the bird the next day she suggested it was the Grease that they fried the fries in. Mental note, next time, baked potato. Regardless, I got on the bike, the temp was cool, and I had 16.5 miles left. I was going good, I looked at my GPS and I was steady rolling at 16mph for miles and miles when I saw the Rob Roberts pull up. I stopped to speak to him.

I immediately tell Rob, "I am going to finish".

Rob says, "no your gonna hurt yourself", and I said "seriously I feel fine, Im good, I been riding good, Im going".

Reluctantly, Rob says "Well I got some sugar if you need it?" . I turn down the snickers, and I accept to take a sip of Gatorade. That small sip, had me feeling nauseous about a mile later and brought all the old feelings back, I knew that I was not ready to consume again, but I tried, next time Listen better to the body.

With a sad, sad overall body expression I cleaned up, and packed up, and got in the car and slept the whole way back to Rob's. Got up, got my stuff together and went home, depressed. Spent a good part of Sunday depressed till the Bird explained to me what the culprit was, fried freaking food!

I am super bummed about it. Twice I have failed and this time I only had 8.5 miles left, how awful. The first 90 miles I rode like a world class champion, my pace was strong steady and fast. I had it all together, I was drinking, I was eating, I was doing the right thing. The last 30 miles, not so much, from now on going forward I know to stay away from the fries or anything fried. After going Primal a year ago, I see that my body has no tolerance for greasy food, I should know better, and Now I DO know better.

When I go back, which will probably be soon, LOL, I am going clockwise and I am not riding between 12 pm and 7pm, its just too damn hot...

Laters,

LOS

PS: I still feel like a failure... O the triumphs and the defeats, they both teach you lessons. Not many people can say they were laid up throwing up for an hour and still got back on the bike and soldiered on, so I give myself some Endurance props for that one!

SHRED!

Check out the pics and another P.O.V. on the ride here! I got some great pics of my guns gleaming!! LMAO!!