Day 8-6/23 Updates
John's Day 8 Journal: Licking Wounds in Ohio
06/23/08 21:23
Route:
Indiana State Line to
Columbus, OH
Total Miles: 121
Miles I Road: 91
To Date Total: 821
Weather: 47 degrees in the morning 70 degrees at end of ride; chilly in the morning; partly cloudy; another good day
Highlights
As you can imagine in a ride like this, the ice packs are out in full force with the 800 milligrams of ibuprofen being dispensed like candy during Halloween. With only three days remaining and a 240-mile bike ride scheduled for tomorrow, today was hard for almost everyone since we where all mending our wounds in preparation for tomorrow’s ride. Knee pain seems to be the primary aliment with butt sores running a close second.
Starting the ride at Stateline, IN, at just after 4:00 am, the air was much chillier than expected. What was exciting is that I have never been to Ohio and had no idea what to expect as the light began to unfold before us. Being from California, where everything is brown right now, it was beautiful for me to see the lush green terrain everywhere. The ride itself was uneventful but by now everything is routine: get on the bike, keep your eyes on the tire in front of you, drink plenty of water, and watch out for obstacles in the road.
Please don’t get me wrong, this trip has turned out to be most rewarding adventure I have ever undertaken. It has been a once in a lifetime opportunity that will forever change the way I see so many things. The group of guys, mom and dad, and the long van rides together have made the trip exceptional, but visiting and interacting with the kids at the hospitals makes it mean so much more. Today we visited the children’s hospital in Columbus, OH. The spirit and life in all the kids we met drives home the point of the need to “Reach a Day” where we can cure all cancers.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) is the last real day of riding, but it will be by far the most difficult. Shift 1 will be running a double shift so the other riders can be shuttled to D.C. to attend CureSearch event. We will be riding through several 1,000-foot hills. At the end of the day will need to travel and additional 150 miles to get ready for the final ride on Wed. So you won’t be hearing from me tomorrow. Wish me luck and happy trails.
Total Miles: 121
Miles I Road: 91
To Date Total: 821
Weather: 47 degrees in the morning 70 degrees at end of ride; chilly in the morning; partly cloudy; another good day
Highlights
As you can imagine in a ride like this, the ice packs are out in full force with the 800 milligrams of ibuprofen being dispensed like candy during Halloween. With only three days remaining and a 240-mile bike ride scheduled for tomorrow, today was hard for almost everyone since we where all mending our wounds in preparation for tomorrow’s ride. Knee pain seems to be the primary aliment with butt sores running a close second.
Starting the ride at Stateline, IN, at just after 4:00 am, the air was much chillier than expected. What was exciting is that I have never been to Ohio and had no idea what to expect as the light began to unfold before us. Being from California, where everything is brown right now, it was beautiful for me to see the lush green terrain everywhere. The ride itself was uneventful but by now everything is routine: get on the bike, keep your eyes on the tire in front of you, drink plenty of water, and watch out for obstacles in the road.
Please don’t get me wrong, this trip has turned out to be most rewarding adventure I have ever undertaken. It has been a once in a lifetime opportunity that will forever change the way I see so many things. The group of guys, mom and dad, and the long van rides together have made the trip exceptional, but visiting and interacting with the kids at the hospitals makes it mean so much more. Today we visited the children’s hospital in Columbus, OH. The spirit and life in all the kids we met drives home the point of the need to “Reach a Day” where we can cure all cancers.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) is the last real day of riding, but it will be by far the most difficult. Shift 1 will be running a double shift so the other riders can be shuttled to D.C. to attend CureSearch event. We will be riding through several 1,000-foot hills. At the end of the day will need to travel and additional 150 miles to get ready for the final ride on Wed. So you won’t be hearing from me tomorrow. Wish me luck and happy trails.
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