Well folks, I've had my first bicycle crash. Oliver assured me it was coming (he's a veteran of several...I mean, the man's been a bicycle messenger in Manhattan, where getting hit by a cab was really more of an annoyance than anything else) but I've been lucky so far. Actually, I still am lucky, as this could have been a lot worse.
The cause was benign enough: the highway was getting a fresh coat of blacktop, and the edge was uneven. I went over the edge at too narrow an angle, and toppled over. I wasn't going too fast, probably 15-17 mph, but it was fast enough that in that slow-motion moment of "Alrighty, I'm going down..." I did imagine that it would probably hurt. It happened fast, so all I really remember is that slo-mo start, and then my head bonking the pavement (thank you, helmet!!), and then finding myself sprawled on the pavement, with Ann Margaret sprawled next to me. Sarah K, who was behind us, told me that after I fell AM ran into me, and well, this is where it gets a little indelicate.
She hit me with her bicycle....right between my legs. With enough force that it broke her wheel. Yeah. I have no recollection of that happening (again, it happened fast), but I'm definitely feeling it now! First of all, yes, it is very lucky it happened to me and not to a guy. If it had, he probably would have had to go to the hospital. Also, it is a good thing I was wearing a helmet! If I wasn't wearing one, I definitely would have left in an ambulance. So let me just ascend the soapbox now: IF YOU RIDE A BICYCLE, WEAR A HELMET!!! I was doing nothing especially outlandish or daring, I could have easily been on my commute to school and have the same thing happen. Just as you need to wear your seat belt even if you're just driving a couple of miles, you need to wear a helmet when you're riding a bicycle, ALWAYS. Ok, lecture over.
So, after laughing so hard our bellies hurt over the complete ridiculousness of the situation, and me crying from a combination of the pain and the laughter, Sarah called the van to come rescue me. Luckily they were only a few blocks away, so we just walked our bikes there. Ann Margaret's wheel was ruined, so I gave her mine, since it was clear I wasn't going to get back on a bike. I spent the rest of the day in the van, and unfortunately it looks like I'll have to sit out a few more days.
Like I said, it could have been a LOT worse, so I'm thankful for that. A few days' rest in the van isn't the worst of fates, though I do hope it doesn't drag on for too long. In the mean time, I'm hobbling around like a 90 year old, icing myself in REALLY awkward places, updating everyone in the group constantly about the status of those awkward places (hey, they ask!), and answering to my new nickname: Crotch of Steel. Yeah.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
She'll be comin' round the mountain...
Mountains! Yay! I must say, after weeks in the Deep South wondering, "what country am I in?" and a few more in the plains wondering the same thing, we've finally reached the wonderful, wild, west. Shortly after leaving Colorado Springs we started really getting into the mountains, both the up and down. For the first day or two the climbs were mostly long and gradual, with descents to match. I've actually come to really love the long, shallow descents. While you don't get going as fast as something steeper, you also don't have to focus as much as you do when you're going 45 miles an hour. You can just cruise along, not pedaling but not breaking, daydreaming, singing (in my case any way), admiring the views, and generally having a splendid time.
The biggest climb for this trip was Independence Pass, at 12,050 feet. People have been talking about this climb since the beginning of the trip with trepidation, and it was a little surreal when it actually arrived. We had camped the night before, and I didn't sleep well at all because it got surprisingly cold, so I was worried about having the energy for the climb. The day's ride was short, only 45 miles, but we knew it was going to take us several hours to reach the top of the pass.
The first 15 miles of the ride were extremely gradual, so much so that it didn't really feel like you were climbing a mountain. I was very cautious about my physical condition, trying to take care of thirst and hunger before they really even appeared. Around the 15th mile, we came upon the mountain proper, complete with necessary switch backs. At this point the adrenaline sort of kicked in--"I'm about to bicycle up a mountain"--and after a granola bar break I was ready to go.
As it turns out, it wasn't that hard. I feel a little sheepish about it, actually. Hiking Pike's Peak was about 300% more difficult, and the best of my half-marathons (IU, 2007) was about 200% more difficult. The thing is this: switchbacks are popular for a reason: they make the road flatter! I mean, it wasn't the EASIEST thing I've ever done (for example, eating a bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups is easier than bicycling Independence Pass), but a taekwondo black belt test, an operatic performance, or a century of rolling hills is substantially more difficult, for me anyway. I guess what I'm saying is you should definitely go out and bicycle up a mountain as soon as possible.
Especially since at the top you get an awesome view! And then you get to go DOWN! We all sat at the top for awhile, waiting for everyone to arrive. After congratulating ourselves and gawking at the mountains, we had a dance party while blasting music from the van. Our song of choice was, of course, Beyonce's Single Ladies, which for some reason has become our theme song for the summer, though nobody knows why. It was really great to shake it on the top of a mountain in our riding spandex, much to the befuddlement of passersby. And then, of course, we got to go down. The entire rest of the ride, into Aspen, was downhill, and it was a blast.
The first 15 miles or so were the actual mountain, and some of that was actually about as steep as I'd ever want to go. What made the steepness nerve-wracking was the turns, some of which were pretty sharp, and the narrowness of the road. It amazed me how some of other riders went down without seeming to break at all, as they navigated the turns it almost looked like they were skiing the slalom.
The descent was made even sweeter to me because waiting for me in Aspen was one of my IU besties, Stephanie. Hilarious, bodacious, totally boss, and with a mezzo voice that can liquify granite, Steph is tops on my list of People I Am Jazzed to Know. She's studying at the Aspen Music Festival and School, and I'd been jumping out of my skin with excitement about seeing her.
After a great dinner (and dessert!) and plenty of catching up, I went and saw her sing in the chorus of La Boheme. The opera is one of my favorites, and it was fun to see it in a small theater where I felt really connected to the performers. The next day I followed her around to her various classes and rehearsals, and it was so fun to be around music again. This trip has been a learning and growing experience on about a bazillion levels, but one of the most profound has been being isolated from other musicians for the longest stretch of time since childhood. While my musical independence has certainly grown as a result of this, it was so wonderful to be with "my people" again.
After her day was finished, we went to Happy Hour with some BB peeps, then saw Harry Potter. All in all it was one of the best days off ever, and got me extremely stoked to reenter musical life this fall.
After Aspen we had several phenomenal rides, with a wide variety of terrain. Crossing into Utah we had desert, then mountainous desert, and then before we knew it, we were back into green and snow-capped mountains again. It is stunningly beautiful--I only wish I had my skis! (Um, and that it was winter...)
The biggest climb for this trip was Independence Pass, at 12,050 feet. People have been talking about this climb since the beginning of the trip with trepidation, and it was a little surreal when it actually arrived. We had camped the night before, and I didn't sleep well at all because it got surprisingly cold, so I was worried about having the energy for the climb. The day's ride was short, only 45 miles, but we knew it was going to take us several hours to reach the top of the pass.
The first 15 miles of the ride were extremely gradual, so much so that it didn't really feel like you were climbing a mountain. I was very cautious about my physical condition, trying to take care of thirst and hunger before they really even appeared. Around the 15th mile, we came upon the mountain proper, complete with necessary switch backs. At this point the adrenaline sort of kicked in--"I'm about to bicycle up a mountain"--and after a granola bar break I was ready to go.
As it turns out, it wasn't that hard. I feel a little sheepish about it, actually. Hiking Pike's Peak was about 300% more difficult, and the best of my half-marathons (IU, 2007) was about 200% more difficult. The thing is this: switchbacks are popular for a reason: they make the road flatter! I mean, it wasn't the EASIEST thing I've ever done (for example, eating a bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups is easier than bicycling Independence Pass), but a taekwondo black belt test, an operatic performance, or a century of rolling hills is substantially more difficult, for me anyway. I guess what I'm saying is you should definitely go out and bicycle up a mountain as soon as possible.
Especially since at the top you get an awesome view! And then you get to go DOWN! We all sat at the top for awhile, waiting for everyone to arrive. After congratulating ourselves and gawking at the mountains, we had a dance party while blasting music from the van. Our song of choice was, of course, Beyonce's Single Ladies, which for some reason has become our theme song for the summer, though nobody knows why. It was really great to shake it on the top of a mountain in our riding spandex, much to the befuddlement of passersby. And then, of course, we got to go down. The entire rest of the ride, into Aspen, was downhill, and it was a blast.
The first 15 miles or so were the actual mountain, and some of that was actually about as steep as I'd ever want to go. What made the steepness nerve-wracking was the turns, some of which were pretty sharp, and the narrowness of the road. It amazed me how some of other riders went down without seeming to break at all, as they navigated the turns it almost looked like they were skiing the slalom.
The descent was made even sweeter to me because waiting for me in Aspen was one of my IU besties, Stephanie. Hilarious, bodacious, totally boss, and with a mezzo voice that can liquify granite, Steph is tops on my list of People I Am Jazzed to Know. She's studying at the Aspen Music Festival and School, and I'd been jumping out of my skin with excitement about seeing her.
After a great dinner (and dessert!) and plenty of catching up, I went and saw her sing in the chorus of La Boheme. The opera is one of my favorites, and it was fun to see it in a small theater where I felt really connected to the performers. The next day I followed her around to her various classes and rehearsals, and it was so fun to be around music again. This trip has been a learning and growing experience on about a bazillion levels, but one of the most profound has been being isolated from other musicians for the longest stretch of time since childhood. While my musical independence has certainly grown as a result of this, it was so wonderful to be with "my people" again.
After her day was finished, we went to Happy Hour with some BB peeps, then saw Harry Potter. All in all it was one of the best days off ever, and got me extremely stoked to reenter musical life this fall.
After Aspen we had several phenomenal rides, with a wide variety of terrain. Crossing into Utah we had desert, then mountainous desert, and then before we knew it, we were back into green and snow-capped mountains again. It is stunningly beautiful--I only wish I had my skis! (Um, and that it was winter...)
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Colorado Springs, finally!
Hello friends and family (and Romans and Countrymen too)! I'm so very sorry for the gross delay--would you believe we don't have handy access to internet in Colorado Springs? Our church doesn't have wifi, and the closest library is a bit of a trek, especially after a day of building. But enough excuses--we built the house!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We finished yesterday, actually, so today is a bonus day off (whee!).
Building the house was an incredible experience. I used five different power tools and still have all my fingers and learned that nothing makes me feel sexier than wearing a tie-dye tshirt and safety glasses and using a power saw to cut out a window. Arriving on the first day to a slab of cement and leaving yesterday with a house (the outside of it anyway) was just plain awesome. I will post pictures someday. Really. It's kind of interesting to me that despite all the technology at our disposal these days, building a house still comes down to nailing some wood. There's something great about that though--I mean, how many millions of hammers have swung in the name of shelter in human history?
I'm liking building more and more, I think because I'm getting more confident at it. I'm starting to think that I'll do more work with Habitat for Humanity in the future. It bugs me that they are a Christian organization (they give every family a Bible upon move in) but other than that they really are a great idea realized. I certainly think they won't solve the affordable housing crisis on their own, but they are definitely making a huge impact. We got to meet several Habitat homeowners throughout our stay here, and they were all very grateful for our work. After all, one of the main reasons Habitat can sell houses for far less than market price is because the labor is free. On our first day of the blitz build, one of the supervisors said "I'm looking at about $100,000 worth of labor right now." That's a pretty big chunk off the price of a house!! I'm especially interested in volunteering internationally next time--I'm considering even organizing a Bike and Build reunion....
Most of our time has been spent building, obviously, but we did have one official day off here. So what did I do? Hike Pike's Peak, of course! The 26 mile round-trip hike took me to 14,100 feet, and damn if it wasn't one of the harder things I've ever done. Fourteen of us did it, with eight making it to the summit. We hit the trail around 6:15 am, which we were told by locals was really the latest we could start if we hoped to do the whole hike.
I've learned on this trip that bicycling rarely satisfies my need for nature. I used to lump a multitude of activities in the "outdoors" category and assume they satisfied the same things, but I've discovered this is not the case. I love bicycling, but the nature of it requires that one stays at least in relatively civilized areas (unless you want to do serious off-road mountain bicycling). It's fantastic to see different towns and be outside, but it's not the same as being in the woods with nothing around. That's what I was hoping to do with the hike, and that was certainly what I got!
At the very beginning we were all in one big crowd, but that didn't last long. For awhile I tried to keep up with the first group, but it became clear early on that there was no way I'd be able to sustain that kind of a pace for 6 hours. But I was already well ahead of the second group, so I ended up doing the vast majority of the ascent by myself. I really enjoyed it. I saw a few other people on the trail (including a surprising number of those nonsensical masochists known as "trail runners") but for the most part was in complete solitude. There is an amazing camp half way up (Barr Camp) that I think just might be the most pleasant place on Earth. There is a little cabin where the caretakers live, and I asked the woman running it if she had the best job on the planet. She laughed and said she did, but that it was a lot of work--they get 28,000 visitors every year! The camp also has campsites with lean-tos, a pretty brook (with adjacent swinging bench--guess where I ate my lunch??), picnic tables, and tent camp sites. It was a gorgeous morning (around 9 when I was there) and I kind of regretted not bringing a book. If I ever come back to Colorado Springs, I'll definitely plan on hiking to the camp with lunch and a book, staying a few hours, and hiking back down.
But for this trip, the summit was beckoning. After a bagel and a few minutes on the swinging bench, it was up and at 'em again for me. Another three miles later I reached the timber line. Above the trees was quintessential alpine meadow, complete with three marmot sightings. There were lots of large boulders lying around just begging to be scrambled upon, but again, I didn't really have the time. By this point I was really feeling the altitude, and was going pretty darn slow. I also lost the trail (with a gravel-like ground it's hard to tell what is trail and what isn't) and ended up going straight up the mountain for quite awhile. I started to wonder whether I could make it to the summit, but I was running low on water. I knew I could fill up at the summit, whereas if I turned around I would have to go all the way back down without any. It was a good motivator!
The trail got more and more brutal, with the first patch of snow appearing a little less than two miles from the summit. The trail basically turned to rocks, complete with water running down them so you were basically walking up a stream. By this point I had found the trail, and other hikers (no Bike and Builders though). Everyone was moving slower, so the groups got closer together than they were down in the trees. It was nice to be around humanity again, especially since I wasn't entirely confident I wasn't going to collapse at any moment.
It took me literally an hour to go the last mile. Yes, that does mean I was going officially 1 mph. Kind of sad, but the altitude was really getting me, and the trail involved lots of big steps over rocks that were more like climbing than walking. I had a pretty bad headache by this time, and I couldn't believe how hard my heart was pounding considering how slow I was going. I felt like I couldn't go more than 10 or 12 steps without pausing for a moment to catch my breath! The views were stunning though, and by this point I was bound and determined to reach that summit.
And I did it!! I was practically delirious I was so exhausted, but I did it. You can actually drive to the top of Pike's Peak (there's a gift shop and restaurant) so there were actually a lot of people there. Normally this would turn me off, but I was starving and very much looking forward to eating something and using a real restroom and filling up my water. And who should I see getting ready to head back down as I arrived--7 Bike and Builders, of course! I must have looked a fright, because they were all looking at me as though I might keel over in front of them. They had all come up as a group though, so they were impressed that I had done the whole thing alone. I didn't want to hold them up, but I definitely needed to sit for a moment or two, so they all headed down except Bryant, who waited for me.
We didn't tarry long, because of course now we had to go alll the way back down. We got hit by a smattering of hail at the summit, and a little rain later on, but other than that the weather was great all the way up and down. About 2 miles into the descent though I started feeling really nauseated, and it didn't let up for the rest of hike. I felt really bad for Bryant, because he was nice enough to wait for me, and now I was going so slow because I felt like I was going to throw up at any second. At Barr Camp we met up with some others though, including some that had turned around before the summit, and I stuck with them to let Bryant go ahead. Everyone was hurting pretty bad for the last miles; my nausea let up a little bit as we got down, but not enough to really eat anything.
We made it though (at 8 pm--14 hours after we started!) and I was so excited, though too exhausted to show it. We went to dinner, but I was still feeling sick, so I just had a Sprite. In fact, I didn't have anything to eat for the rest of the day because by the time we got back to the church around 9:30 all I wanted to do was sleep. I slept like a rock though, and was feeling surprisingly perky at the build day the next day. I was really sore though, and was walking like a 90 year old for three days, much to the amusement of others. I also was ravenous all day the next day, not surprising since I hadn't eaten anything since noon on the hike and had burned probably 2,000 calories. I just could not get enough food in my body that day! I'd eat normal sized meals but be starving 45 minutes later. It was bizarre. The hike was Monday, and now I'm finally back to normal in terms of appetite and the ability to walk!
The ability to bike however, remains to be seen. We'll find out tomorrow! We're doing a 70 miler tomorrow, which should reacquaint us all with our two-wheeled friends. On Monday we climb Independence Pass (one of Lance Armstrong's training rides), and on Wednesday we have a day off in Aspen, where I'll get to see Stephanie, one of my IU besties. All these days off are spoiling us rotten! I think after Aspen we don't have another one until Boise, so we're enjoying them while we can.
The Western half of this trip (because yes, in terms of mileage and riding days we're only half way there) seems to be pretty remote, with more camping days than the first half, so I might not be able to update as much. But I will post when I can! Thanks for keeping up with me, and I'm sure I'll have more adventures to fill you in on soon!
Building the house was an incredible experience. I used five different power tools and still have all my fingers and learned that nothing makes me feel sexier than wearing a tie-dye tshirt and safety glasses and using a power saw to cut out a window. Arriving on the first day to a slab of cement and leaving yesterday with a house (the outside of it anyway) was just plain awesome. I will post pictures someday. Really. It's kind of interesting to me that despite all the technology at our disposal these days, building a house still comes down to nailing some wood. There's something great about that though--I mean, how many millions of hammers have swung in the name of shelter in human history?
I'm liking building more and more, I think because I'm getting more confident at it. I'm starting to think that I'll do more work with Habitat for Humanity in the future. It bugs me that they are a Christian organization (they give every family a Bible upon move in) but other than that they really are a great idea realized. I certainly think they won't solve the affordable housing crisis on their own, but they are definitely making a huge impact. We got to meet several Habitat homeowners throughout our stay here, and they were all very grateful for our work. After all, one of the main reasons Habitat can sell houses for far less than market price is because the labor is free. On our first day of the blitz build, one of the supervisors said "I'm looking at about $100,000 worth of labor right now." That's a pretty big chunk off the price of a house!! I'm especially interested in volunteering internationally next time--I'm considering even organizing a Bike and Build reunion....
Most of our time has been spent building, obviously, but we did have one official day off here. So what did I do? Hike Pike's Peak, of course! The 26 mile round-trip hike took me to 14,100 feet, and damn if it wasn't one of the harder things I've ever done. Fourteen of us did it, with eight making it to the summit. We hit the trail around 6:15 am, which we were told by locals was really the latest we could start if we hoped to do the whole hike.
I've learned on this trip that bicycling rarely satisfies my need for nature. I used to lump a multitude of activities in the "outdoors" category and assume they satisfied the same things, but I've discovered this is not the case. I love bicycling, but the nature of it requires that one stays at least in relatively civilized areas (unless you want to do serious off-road mountain bicycling). It's fantastic to see different towns and be outside, but it's not the same as being in the woods with nothing around. That's what I was hoping to do with the hike, and that was certainly what I got!
At the very beginning we were all in one big crowd, but that didn't last long. For awhile I tried to keep up with the first group, but it became clear early on that there was no way I'd be able to sustain that kind of a pace for 6 hours. But I was already well ahead of the second group, so I ended up doing the vast majority of the ascent by myself. I really enjoyed it. I saw a few other people on the trail (including a surprising number of those nonsensical masochists known as "trail runners") but for the most part was in complete solitude. There is an amazing camp half way up (Barr Camp) that I think just might be the most pleasant place on Earth. There is a little cabin where the caretakers live, and I asked the woman running it if she had the best job on the planet. She laughed and said she did, but that it was a lot of work--they get 28,000 visitors every year! The camp also has campsites with lean-tos, a pretty brook (with adjacent swinging bench--guess where I ate my lunch??), picnic tables, and tent camp sites. It was a gorgeous morning (around 9 when I was there) and I kind of regretted not bringing a book. If I ever come back to Colorado Springs, I'll definitely plan on hiking to the camp with lunch and a book, staying a few hours, and hiking back down.
But for this trip, the summit was beckoning. After a bagel and a few minutes on the swinging bench, it was up and at 'em again for me. Another three miles later I reached the timber line. Above the trees was quintessential alpine meadow, complete with three marmot sightings. There were lots of large boulders lying around just begging to be scrambled upon, but again, I didn't really have the time. By this point I was really feeling the altitude, and was going pretty darn slow. I also lost the trail (with a gravel-like ground it's hard to tell what is trail and what isn't) and ended up going straight up the mountain for quite awhile. I started to wonder whether I could make it to the summit, but I was running low on water. I knew I could fill up at the summit, whereas if I turned around I would have to go all the way back down without any. It was a good motivator!
The trail got more and more brutal, with the first patch of snow appearing a little less than two miles from the summit. The trail basically turned to rocks, complete with water running down them so you were basically walking up a stream. By this point I had found the trail, and other hikers (no Bike and Builders though). Everyone was moving slower, so the groups got closer together than they were down in the trees. It was nice to be around humanity again, especially since I wasn't entirely confident I wasn't going to collapse at any moment.
It took me literally an hour to go the last mile. Yes, that does mean I was going officially 1 mph. Kind of sad, but the altitude was really getting me, and the trail involved lots of big steps over rocks that were more like climbing than walking. I had a pretty bad headache by this time, and I couldn't believe how hard my heart was pounding considering how slow I was going. I felt like I couldn't go more than 10 or 12 steps without pausing for a moment to catch my breath! The views were stunning though, and by this point I was bound and determined to reach that summit.
And I did it!! I was practically delirious I was so exhausted, but I did it. You can actually drive to the top of Pike's Peak (there's a gift shop and restaurant) so there were actually a lot of people there. Normally this would turn me off, but I was starving and very much looking forward to eating something and using a real restroom and filling up my water. And who should I see getting ready to head back down as I arrived--7 Bike and Builders, of course! I must have looked a fright, because they were all looking at me as though I might keel over in front of them. They had all come up as a group though, so they were impressed that I had done the whole thing alone. I didn't want to hold them up, but I definitely needed to sit for a moment or two, so they all headed down except Bryant, who waited for me.
We didn't tarry long, because of course now we had to go alll the way back down. We got hit by a smattering of hail at the summit, and a little rain later on, but other than that the weather was great all the way up and down. About 2 miles into the descent though I started feeling really nauseated, and it didn't let up for the rest of hike. I felt really bad for Bryant, because he was nice enough to wait for me, and now I was going so slow because I felt like I was going to throw up at any second. At Barr Camp we met up with some others though, including some that had turned around before the summit, and I stuck with them to let Bryant go ahead. Everyone was hurting pretty bad for the last miles; my nausea let up a little bit as we got down, but not enough to really eat anything.
We made it though (at 8 pm--14 hours after we started!) and I was so excited, though too exhausted to show it. We went to dinner, but I was still feeling sick, so I just had a Sprite. In fact, I didn't have anything to eat for the rest of the day because by the time we got back to the church around 9:30 all I wanted to do was sleep. I slept like a rock though, and was feeling surprisingly perky at the build day the next day. I was really sore though, and was walking like a 90 year old for three days, much to the amusement of others. I also was ravenous all day the next day, not surprising since I hadn't eaten anything since noon on the hike and had burned probably 2,000 calories. I just could not get enough food in my body that day! I'd eat normal sized meals but be starving 45 minutes later. It was bizarre. The hike was Monday, and now I'm finally back to normal in terms of appetite and the ability to walk!
The ability to bike however, remains to be seen. We'll find out tomorrow! We're doing a 70 miler tomorrow, which should reacquaint us all with our two-wheeled friends. On Monday we climb Independence Pass (one of Lance Armstrong's training rides), and on Wednesday we have a day off in Aspen, where I'll get to see Stephanie, one of my IU besties. All these days off are spoiling us rotten! I think after Aspen we don't have another one until Boise, so we're enjoying them while we can.
The Western half of this trip (because yes, in terms of mileage and riding days we're only half way there) seems to be pretty remote, with more camping days than the first half, so I might not be able to update as much. But I will post when I can! Thanks for keeping up with me, and I'm sure I'll have more adventures to fill you in on soon!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
