Cross Country Ride

Day 0 and Day 1....Astoria to the pacific ocean..... so the dat started out great. slightly overcast, temps in the mid 50's and an easy ride day, 30 miles to dip our tire into the pacific to start our journey. it was an emotional day. something I have dreamed of for years and worked toward for the last year. there are so many people supporting me on this ride and I want to make each and every one of them proud. I was averaging 17 mph into Fort Steven National park, 1 mile from the pacific when my day took a turn....on the bike path to the beach, the ground was wet and I was approaching a tunnel. I slowed down but not enough as 2 kids, jumped out from behind some trees and yelled boo. I was caught off guard, hit a bump in the pavement and in the biking world....I ATE IT. I got up, kids had run off. Assessed myself, everything moved so....I continued to the beach, didn't walk all the way out to the ocean...SAND and bike cleats, not a good combo. I was sore and my left hand was bleeding but I road the 1.5 miles back to the ranger station to report the kids and use the facilities to wash my hand. Well, my day just got WORSE. My hand was a lot worse than I though plus my wedding band was cutting into my knuckle and my engagement ring was missing two diamonds. So....i road back to the tunnel to look for my diamonds. The ranger met me there, the ambulance was called and the fire department. My rings had to be cut off, which wasn't easy with the amount of swelling.After 45 mins they got them off. One of the EMTs found one of my diamonds. I being stubborn, refused the ambulance ride and road back to the hotel where I than admitted, I needed stitches and X-rays. Yep, a trip to Columbia Memorial Hospital for stitches and a splint for my left hand. Fractures ring finger and knuckle. Road rash mild calf to the knee, hand, forearm, elbow, bicep and shoulder. And a very bruised ego. Ice, elevation, ibuprofen and a lot of crying because I was pissed. By 8pm the bleeding still hadn't stopped so we returned to the ER for 2 additional stitches. Got back to the hotel after midnight and needed to be up packed and on the road by 8. All in all everyone on the ride is very sportive but it wasn't the start I had envisioned.

Day 1 Astoria to St Helen's 68.8 miles. Swelling had gone down enough that I could move index and middle finger so I thought I would ride. Shifting and breaking are a challenge but I wasn't really going that fast. Weather...its Oregon, RAIN, temps 38-43. My hands where cold as I can't wear gloves. First 35 miles was fairly flat. Very wet but that's part of what we signed on for. There was a 7% decline that had some uneven surface at mile 48. The lead rider was concerned because my left hand had swollen a great deal by than and vibrations of trying to hold the bike with my hand at speeds over 22 mph was VERY painful so, I took a ride in the sweep van and my ego took another hit. I have been riding for six years and have NEVER taken a ride but this is a long journey so I need to look to the next 50 days. After the hill I was back on the roads on the flats and peddled the last 20 miles. The hand is unbelievably sore,swollen and stiff. The road rash is starting to dry. And the sun came out and the rain stopped after the last rider, which was not me...arrived at the hotel.

Some pictures from yesterday and today

field of elk