I have had a bunch of time to look back on the whole C2C experience. I even read all of my past blog posts. It is time to share some of my thoughts and feelings.
First a medical update - loyal blog followers will remember that April 4th I went down with the bike on a muddy shoulder. It was totally my fault & could have ended my cross country quest. I should have seen the mud slick, and avoided it just as 15 or so bikers ahead of me did. Can't change that, so no need to dwell on it.
After going to the local ER and hearing that the X-Ray showed no fractures, I decided to monitor how I felt & decide each day whether I could ride. I took one day off and things improved somewhat. The next morning I got up early & took a ride around the parking lot at the hotel we were staying at. I found that pedaling did not really hurt, so went out that day ready to stop if things changed. I did the same thing every day until we reached St Augustine & never missed another mile.
The troubling part was that walking was still painful, even though I could bike with no problem. I hoped that once I stopped pedaling, walking would become easier too. That didn't happen, so about a week ago I had an MRI done. They found what is called an avulsion fracture in one of the knee bones. It is apparently not easy to see in an X-Ray & is not a large fracture, but explains why walking was painful.
My next stop was an orthopedic specialist who said I should not have biked that last 800 miles! Fortunately it appears to be healing anyway, but I am now wearing an immobilizer for 2 weeks. If it continues to heal properly, no surgery will be needed, but probably a bunch of Physical Therapy.
*********************************
I decided to put my reflections on the whole Coast 2 Coast trip in the form of bullet points. Each one could have a full paragraph, but that would take a long time to read (and write). Let me know if there is something in particular you would like expanded & I will try to respond when I can.
*The amount of planning, work & support needed to put together a trip like this is something I would never want to do on my own. Thanks Bubba's Pampered Pedalers. It was worth every dollar.
*I saw the Southern tier of the USA in a way that I will never forget. 12 - 15 mph is the perfect speed to really see mountains, deserts, ranches, cities large & small, hills, farmland, swamps, rivers, hurricane devastation, The Gulf of Mexico, etc. The most memorable for me was to see the desert in bloom.
*The quality of the roads can vary greatly from one county to another. There were many times we would see a County Line sign, and the road conditions would change instantly. Overall Louisiana had the best roads.
*The people made the experience complete - this includes the other riders, the staff & the locals we encountered all along the way.
*Why people insist on riding those terribly uncomfortable upright bikes is a total mystery to me. My Q45 Cruzbike recumbent performed flawlessly & I didn't experience back or wrist or neck or butt pain as so many other riders complained of. There is a learning curve to riding a recumbent, but for me it is an easy trade off.
*I started biking 4 years ago to improve my physical condition as I get older. That has been a great success. I did not expect to enjoy riding as much as I do, so that is a pleasant surprise.
*I was not prepared for the constant barrage of bad weather we experienced on the 2019 C2C. Everyone involved in past trips agreed that this was the worst weather year of the 10 trips Bubba has done.
*The best thing I did in preparation was my "Motivational Partners" routine. It made the trip become a review of my whole life. I had plenty of time each day to reflect on my MP. I would draw energy from them, or send it to them & I remembered lots of life experiences in the process.
*I knew early on that reaching St Augustine would be an emotional experience for me. I remember thinking ahead at various times what it would be like & the end result lived up to my expectations.
*My family is the best! What a support crew. All the other Coasters were amazed. Here we are in St Augustine.
*I am happy to have taken on this challenge. This was not a lifelong quest for me as it was for some other riders. I wanted to learn about myself in the process & I think I have. I hope it makes me a better husband, father, friend, colleague . . . . and mostly, a better Child of God.