Today was another 100 degree, 70% RH day. So of course I chose it for my longest ride yet: KC to Carrollton. It's a little over 70 miles; up a hill, down a hill... up..., down..., all day long. Riding a bicycle was like being in a sauce pan being used to cook a chicken dinner. While it is cooking away, (miniaturized) you have to ride up and down the chicken pieces (hills). It's something like that.
So I was tired after 60 plus miles. I stopped in Waverly and got a bottle of Gatorade. I sat outside in the buildings' shade leaning against it. A man and his son stopped and chit-chatted; the wanted to know all about my ride and I told them. "Only one more hill between here and the river." He assured me. "Then, it's downhill and flat land to Carrollton." The last hill hardly ranked as such; after what I'd been through, I'd almost call it level. But there was one big problem, a sign that read: "Bridge Out. Road Closed 22 Miles Ahead. Detour." Big problem!
If I took the detour route, it would add at least 30 miles to my ride. If I kept on my planned course and could not cross the bridge I'd add another 40. What to do, what to do?
I stayed the course.
I'd seldom hit a construction site that was so bad I could not walk across it. That's "seldom" not "never". I didn't feel confident about it, I was a little apprehensive in fact. "But ya rolls y're dice and ya takes y're chances."
Additionally, for reasons you all know, I have trouble with coordination. I came down a hill and there it was: the Missouri River. The road crossed with a high (50 plus feet) bridge.
I decided to pull over and take a picture. I headed toward the bridge guard wall. A little too fast. Tired, very tired.
I started to dismount, still moving a little fast. I tried to slow down more...too late!
I started to skid along the wall and almost fell over it. If I had I would have been killed by the fall or would have drowned. The river is wide, swift and deep. Close call.
The bike came to rest on a broken bottle.
But I didn't fall and am safe in Carrollton. Adventure continues tomorrow.
P.S. I'm wearing two (2) pairs of biking shorts, a biking shirt, and riding gloves.
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4 comments:
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Hi Doug,
Okay, i finally found it -- that account you gave about Brigham Road hill. Getting to it required clicking on "Older Posts" once, and then, on the next page, clicking the "Older Posts" link AGAIN (either that, or just clicking on the link for the June posts).
And then, as i was reading it, i realized that i had actually read it back when you posted it, but had already forgotten the details.
Geez, Doug, don't do any more sliding, especially not on bridges. That was really scary, reading what happened, although only a fraction of how scary it had to have been for you to experience it.
I love reading your posts ... can hardly wait 'til you publish your book! :-)
Stay safe!
<3 anita
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Postscript:
Looks to me like your bridge incident must have happened somewhere around Waverly? Really, Doug, if you're gonna nearly go sailing off a bridga, maybe it would be good to take your rig along (just what you need, another 25 pounds of gear, eh???) -- and even then, not such a good idea to do base jumping into a river ... do you remember your water training?
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I wondered if I would have automatically arched if I had fallen. One can only hope!
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follow-up:
That's good news to hear (that you're wearing bike shorts) ... did it actually help to wax the seat (or rather, to oil it), the way you did before you left Denver?
Take care, Doug ... peace be the journey!
<3 anita
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