Of Mice and Men

Today was our first long ride of the trip--106 miles of smooth roads, nice weather and beautiful country. Last night,  I carefully laid out my biking clothes and all the paraphenalia that accompanies a ride of that mileage. (electrolytes, cues sheets, bike computer...you get the idea).  I was ready; I was organized and my execution of the ride well planned.  I expected it to be about a 7 hour trip and went to bed knowing I was well prepared.

Ah..."the best laid plans of mice and men oft go awry".... This phrase, originates in a poem by Robert Burns. It tells of him plowing a field, and accidentally destroying the nest of a field mouse in the process. The phrase illustrates that despite careful preparation, things don't always go as planned.

I experienced that this morning when I awoke at the sound of my alarm and found my back in spasm.  Moving gently, I stretched and flexed to loosen it, then slowly got out of bed. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I turned around to answer a question my room mate, Rita, had asked me, and winced as pain shot through my lower back, radiating across my hips. I had had soreness the last couple of days, and yesterday had experienced electric like sensations down my left leg as I rode, but chose to ignore it, thinking it would work itself out.  Clearly, today, I had better listen to what my body had been trying to tell me.  So the well laid plans from last night changed....I decided  that I was not going to ride today, but rest my back instead.  I suspect the pain is not the result of cycling, but the lifting involved with moving my luggage and lifting heavy items while SAGging.  (I have a bulging disk, L5 on S1)  With the next three days out of the saddle (today, a rest day, then a day of driving SAG), I should be ready to resume pain-free pedaling on Friday without losing much mileage.  (As long as I am throwing cliches around, let me just say that 'it is not the destination but the journey, right?)   I learned on last year's cross country ride to listen to my body when it talks to me....a little preventative pampering now will avert much more misery later!  So here I am, actually having some free time!  Woohooo!!

I spent part of the morning navigating for the SAG, Karen Cooper.  She should have left me at the hotel; I got her lost TWICE in 20 miles!  I don't know why I am so directionally challenged and dyslexic.  I always managed to get where I want to go; sometimes it just takes a little longer....remember, 'it's not the destination, but the journey', right?  It's a good thing I didn't have to take a cue sheet reading test before I signed on to be a SAG driver.   Anyway, I figure those wrong turns were a good way to make sure that none of the riders were off course.... (believe that and I have some land in Florida I can sell to you...)  We did see some interesting sites on our off beaten path. 

Pretty, but abandoned barn in the early morning light

A boat with little dingies that we saw while 'lost'.  Whose dingy?

Karen, still smiling after I got her lost.  Lifting that full water cooler has played havoc with my back.