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rbent Forum
https://rbentonline.org/YaBB.pl General Category >> Ride Reports >> LSR Dart - "Itasca Disasta" https://rbentonline.org/YaBB.pl?num=1339878370 Message started by FlyingLaZBoy on Jun 16th, 2012, 3:26pm |
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Title: LSR Dart - "Itasca Disasta" Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Jun 16th, 2012, 3:26pm Well, Itasca was indeed a disasta for me, although I certainly hope Bud, Greg, and Shellene finished well... Consider this a cautionary tale of my first-ever DNF... The wife and I had gone out for Tex-Mex food last night... but upon waking up at 4AM to get ready to head out for this ride, I could feel a rumbling in my insides, and had a bit of the Big D (don't ask) in the bathroom -- but didn't think much of it, took one Imodium, got dressed, and headed to Lynn Creek Marina Still felt OK at the start, and it was good to see four or five other teams from the Rando group there. We headed out at 6:30AM sharp, feeling good, at a casual pace into the south headwinds (already). Unfortunately, after 6-8 miles, I could tell that something wasn't right... I was sweating already, and the legs felt weak. At the 10 mile point, at a turn out in the middle of nowhere, I had to stop for a bathroom break, and had another episode of Big D (fortunately I had brought paper!). We carried on.. but at the 14 mile point, I called a halt -- I was feeling worse, and had no pop in the legs. I told the others that "I'm gonna turn back from here -- something's just not right"... Bud offered that Venus was just 5 more miles, but I declined. Then I got off the bike, and threw up three times, right there in front of everybody... "Yep, you're turning back!" [smiley=laugh.gif] [smiley=injured.gif] Greg offered to have Alexis come pick me up, but I declined (thanks!) -- I wished them well, and followed the cue sheet backwards (which is actually DIFFICULT, if you've never done it!), stopping for either Big D or vomiting about every 4 miles, combined with occasional dizzy spells and roaring in the ears. I then became aware of a side effect of losing all your body fluids -- my calves started cramping, even though I was on relatively flat ground!!! And I couldn't drink a lot, because I would throw it up soon... then my shoulders started to hurt, from holding my arms up (I guess). (Therein is the caution: If you're vomiting and having Big D on a bike ride, have someone come pick you up, if at all possible -- because you WILL start cramping, too....) I finally made it back to the Marina, feeling REALLY bad -- I could barely lift the bike onto the rack, shuffled into the Marina store to the bathroom and to get a Gatorade (which stayed down, somehow), and had a heck of a time driving the 45 minutes back to Rowlett... but I made it, and immediately collapsed on the bed, and woke up four hours later to finally shower... WHAT A DISASTA!!!!!!!! :-[ My apologies, Team Dart Vader friends! I hope your ride went uneventfully... |
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Title: Re: LSR Dart - "Itasca Disasta" Post by Monkeywrangler22 on Jun 16th, 2012, 4:56pm Oh man! Glad you will be ok! Keep pounding down the fluids, especially since you are losing them from both ends! |
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Title: Re: LSR Dart - "Itasca Disasta" Post by Action Lad on Jun 16th, 2012, 8:20pm Sorry to hear that. It's no fun to be sick, first of all, but to have it at such a critical time. :'( Take care, and hope you're back on your |
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Title: Re: LSR Dart - "Itasca Disasta" Post by aikigreg on Jun 16th, 2012, 9:25pm We've all been there somewhere, sometime, man. Don't worry about it. Glad you're ok. You were only about 24 miles from Alexis, so it wouldn't have been too big a deal. I'll write a little something tomorrow but suffice to say that the other 3 of us finished with no real issues beyond a flat for me, We were all in great spirits throughout the ride. Had a great dinner afterwards. I was really looking forward to chatting with ya, Paul. It's been too long. |
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Title: Re: LSR Dart - "Itasca Disasta" Post by Bud_Bent on Jun 17th, 2012, 10:07am I hope you're feeling better today, Paul. That was indeed a disasta for you. I was also looking forward to a long ride with you. Hopefully, we'll have a better time on one soon. Thanks for calling to let us know you made it home. After that roadside display, we were certainly concerned. Thanks for joining me, y'all! Here's my blog report on the ride: I rode 113 miles yesterday, a Lone Star Randonneurs Dart. A Dart is a randonneuring team ride, with 3 to 5 riders. It is a ride of at least 180k in distance, teammates must ride together, and the ride must be completed in exactly 12 hours. At least 3 riders must complete the ride for the riders to receive credit, so it's a good idea to have at least 4 on a team to start. It was two days after my follow up oncologist appointment following my annual scan, and I was still smiling from the news that I'm still cancer free. It seemed a great day for a long ride. My teammates were all recumbent riders, and the team was called Dart Vader. Riders were Shellene, Greg, Paul, and I. I had designed the route, a 183k route that starts at Lynn Creek Marina on Joe Pool Lake, goes out to Itasca, then to Italy, then to Midlothian, before making the return to Joe Pool Lake. I named the route Itasca Disasta. It became a fitting name for Paul, whose ride turned into a disasta pretty quickly. We took off from the start at 6:30 am, and he soon became very sick with what appeared to be food poisoning symptoms, and had to quit the ride at mile 14. He was so sick that we all worried about him getting back safely. He called and left a message to let us know he made it home, and we were happy to hear that. That left us with the minimum 3 riders, but things went well from there. The route climbs Orphan Hill on the way from Maypearl to Itasca. I had never climbed Orphan Hill from that direction. It's a longer and taller climb from that direction, but much of it is just a false flat, and even near the top where it becomes steeper, it's still not a steep grade. I climbed it in my middle chain ring. The highest point of the ride comes after Itasca, when the ride turns southeast and climbs back up the same ridge that holds Orphan Hill. This climb was also not steep, but the 13 miles from Itasca to the US 77 junction is the roughest chip seal I've ever ridden. This stretch also has fewer trees, and really catches a south wind. By the time we rode it yesterday, though, the wind wasn't blowing nearly as hard as it had earlier in the morning. Just three miles short of our stop in Italy, Greg had a flat. Everything went smoothly after that. It got pretty hot in the afternoon, but we stopped often. 12 hours is way more than enough time to complete a 183k ride, so there was no reason not to ride an easy pace and stop often. We were supposed to join the other Dart teams for dinner at the Oasis after the ride, but couldn't get a table, so we drove over to the Sweet Tomatoes and ate there. It was a great time, and you can't believe how much food skinny riders can down at a buffet.......LOL. Thanks for joining me, Greg, Shellene, and Paul! I hope you're feeling better today, Paul. Itasca Disasta Dart route. http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/2232/061612.jpg |
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Title: Re: LSR Dart - "Itasca Disasta" Post by Kwijybow on Jun 17th, 2012, 9:56pm Holy Cow Paul, so sorry you felt so bad! Hope to be there for next years! |
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Title: Re: LSR Dart - "Itasca Disasta" Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Jun 17th, 2012, 11:31pm Blowing up the first 20 miles of Bud's map, the blue stars indicate approximately where I threw up on the way back :D :D :D [smiley=puking.gif]... http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/ae256/pbrown8js/061612v.jpg But yes, I'm MUCH better now!!!! Anyone want to ride Mesquite on Tuesday??? |
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Title: Re: LSR Dart - "Itasca Disasta" Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Jun 17th, 2012, 11:35pm There were definitely one stretch of nasty chipseal, right along 287... made me wish i had 1.25" (or wider) tires on instead of 1.1s... I'd hate to think you found something rougher than that! |
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Title: Re: LSR Dart - "Itasca Disasta" Post by shellenefoster on Jun 18th, 2012, 3:46pm We were so sad to see you go Paul! We missed you for the rest of the ride. Lovely route, Bud planned it so that the chipseal section is followed by easy smooth roads and you can forgive the chipseal by the time you are finished. Great route and fun ride - Thanks gentlemen. |
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