Day 77: September 27th, 2010 (Route: Mechanicsville, VA to Highway Intersection 605/603 VA)

Day 77: September 27th, 2010 (Route: Mechanicsville, VA to Highway Intersection 605/603 VA)
Technical Data

Distance, miles: 61.71
Ride time 4:46:06
Work, kJ: 2395
Average Power, watts: 139
Normalized Power, watts: 183
Average Speed, mph: 12.87

Forecast - 50-65 and raining, rained all day long! Nice rain at times, then some heavy down pours...

Last night I had so many dreams. Dreams all over the board too, I would dream then wake up, then fall sleep dream some more, this went on a couple more times, when I finally woke up all I wanted to do was fall back a sleep and continue to dream. All of the dreams were interesting, from playing baseball to dance under the moon light. What a night I thought when I woke up. The night before really wasn't all that different from any other night besides I had more vegetables then I have had since Raleigh.

I woke up thinking that I would be back to normal with my leg and that things would be okay, however once down the stairs I could tell it was going to be a rough day. I'm hoping at this point that the ride will be a nice one, wind at my back while the legs feel strong. I crawl out of bed, do the normal hygeine routine and collect my things. Head down stairs and greet the Mackey's. Sons are getting ready for school while Carol works in the kitchen, not sure where Clyde, assuming getting ready for work. Its close to 6:45 at this point and I'm really anxious to see how the leg is going to feel after another day of rest. I gladly accept some breakfast, cereal and some grape juice (can't remember the last time I had grape juice). While eating breakfast I write in the cycling log that Carol brings me. Most host families have some time of journel to write in to log all the cyclist over time that have stayed at their house. I think is a great way to record all the people they have helped out throughout their time hosting. There is something about hosting that brings joy. I know once I settle somewhere, hopefully on a major cycling route I'll be able to host.

After breakfast I back my things and look outside and its raining, not a hard rain, more like a mist. I plan on riding today no matter what the weather, I'm really getting the feeling of wanting to be through since the leg started acting up a couple days ago. I'm sure this attitude/thoughts is only because of the leg, otherwise I was ready to hit the road and ride like I have been riding for the last 70+ days. Since its raining I decide to finish the last few pages I couldn't get through last night. Everybody has left now except Carol, she mentions she is going with the neighbor for a walk. I said okay and turn back to the book, I figure if I finish it I can send it back to Uncle Steve so it won't get ruined, since it was raining out I figured I might see a lot more rain over the next couple weeks so best be safe and just mail it back and finish it now.

I finish the book right when Carol finished her walk, so I packed things up and get ready to depart. She wanted me to stay until she finished her walk so she could snap a few photos of me before I headed out on my journey. Before doing so, she loaded me up with a few granola bars, some raisens, and some roasted soy beans. I gladly accepted anything she was going to offer as I know I have close to 1000+ miles to go. I'm not sure how many I have, all I know is that I'm in the middle of Virginia and I'm heading to Missouri a couple states over and I'm sure I'll burn any calories she wants to send with me. After saying our good byes I head out into the lite rain!

I figured it would rain a little then ease up, however it only started to rain harder the longer the ride went. Rolling out of the neighborhood I was excited to be back on the bike, however the rain was not something I looked forward too. I thought to myself this is going to be a mental challenge today, starting in the rain and finishing in the rain is what will probably happen. The mind was solid and really wanting to get to the next camp ground early to allow the leg to rest. Riding out I didn't feel anything, however I new it was going to be a tough day.

Through Ashland then Coatesville, I'm cruising at a low intensity and making sure I watch the power, watching the power should allow me to log in more miles with this leg. So I continue to ride and I'm feeling pretty good the first 20-25 miles and thinking the rest really helped then it hit me. AT mile 35 the quad woke up and said no more, I stopped and rested on the side of the highway for a little bit. These roads here in VA are really not highways, more country rural roads that are great for riding! Narrow and lined with beautiful tress and I really enjoy, just wish the weather was more forgiving so I could enjoy the day. The wind picked up, could sense the dark skies closing in, then it hit me. Hard rain, I figured, I'm soaked by now so why stop, might as well keep on riding.

Mentally I'm starting to break, I keep thinking about having to quit becuase of an overuse injury. I keep think, great all I want to do is finish what I started. Over the last couple of years I have started so many things and things have either been taken from me or I had to walk away, this trip on the other hand is something I do not want to walk away from. This trip is to prove to myself that I have what it takes, to build the confidence and to start back fresh upon my return. I can't quit, there is not stopping me, even if I have to pedal the remainder of this trip with my left leg!

Continuing on I'm fighting not to stop then I do pull over about mile 60 and think what the hell is going on. My friends want me to take it easy and I know I should, I'm not going to do anything stupid, however I just don't want to quit. I'm an intelligent young man and I know what needs to be done. I need to 1) rest as this is the only way to allow myself to get back to 100%. I've put my body through the ringer the last couple of months with a few more weeks to go, so the plan going forward is to listen to the body. It the body says stop I'll stop, however I'm not going to give up on this trip. If I have to hike back I'll do that, I can walk with no pain its just the pedal stroke that gets me, and walking up stairs. So I'll take some rest when I get it and take it easy on the bike, coast on the downhills and pedal as easy as I can going up hill, however this is the pain generator and with the hills coming up I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I'll figure it out though!

I continue to ride and the thoughts are pretty much just thinking of the rain, though the leaves look great I'm trying to keep the water out of my eyes by just focusing on the ride I don't really notice much of what else is going on. Right at about mile 60 I pull off and check the distance from where I would like to get for the night, it appears the long distance days may have come to an end, this I mentally must accept even though it pisses me off. Survival mode is what I must go to now, meaning get home at all means possible using any physical way possible, pedal with one leg, walk my rig home, what ever else comes to mind. I'm not going to quit, as I am not a quitter!

After checking the map and eating a little I decide its time to push on, still raining I start to ride and the rear is flat. I must have ran over something when I stopped. I'm thinking what a time to have a flat, the days just get more interesting. I use the spare tube in the blow out bag and figure this will be the quickest, then I notice it has a hole. No luck today for me, I take the time and patch it making sure not to get the area wet with ran. Many cars passing now, wondering if anyone is going to stop and just check, its not like I would accept a ride but I figured just out of courtesy. I get the tire changed and a couple people stop, I wave one lady on. The guy in the truck turned around and I talked with him for a bit. I asked him if there was a place to camp within the next 20 miles or so, I figured it was now 3PM and if I could find some type of cover I would be set. I was soaked by this time, however BoB had a dry change of clothes in his belly for me!

David, the driver of the truck mentioned a shed about five miles down the road. I said that will work, I've been riding in the rain for over 5 hours, feeling like its a snails pace because of my quad causing me troubles. I know the forecast called for rain all day with thunderstorms in the late evening and night so I was in for it if I camped out, which was okay. I'm on an adventure, however its still tough to swallow mentally with this leg issue (I don't want to use the word injured as that would mean throwing in the towel). We arrive at David's place, off the major route a couple of miles and its plush, its a shed, but I'm thinking its dry and its out of the wind and perfect for tonight.

David showed me his place, this is his rental. Not too shabby I'm thinking, 160 acres and its a rental. Open fields, areas to hunt, a pond to fish in, and a garden to pick fresh vegetables from along with a small watermelon patch. He allows me to eat what I can find and I'm gladly going to accept, a watermelon sounds great right about now. Once he heads out I head down to the pond where the watermelons are and pick one, figure I'll rehydrate with this fresh melon and have a great dinner in the shed. After eating 3/4 of the watermelon I sit down to read and just sit in the moment in the shed, something I haven't been able to do the last couple of days due to the thoughts I have been having with this quad/thigh issue.

Sitting in the moment I observe. This shed has a John Deer trackor, a souped up Beetle that sits about eight feet tall, some chairs, a bath tub (yes for bathing), and some other lawn equipment. The things that really intrigued me were the spiders, the field mice, the small snakes crawling around (counted two of these). At this moment I have my bed roll on the floor, however once I saw the snake up on the platform I decide I'm going to sleep up off the ground as to not get too close with the critters as dark closes in. The rain is beginning to fall, the water droplets pelting the tin roof, and continues into the night. I drift off thinking and praying that my leg will be strong enough to pedal me back to where I started this journey...