Yesterday was the hardest day of the trip for me...and then that was completely eclipsed by today. The last two days have been emotionally and physically trying (but ultimately exhilarating and incredible). People have told me that biking across the country is 50% a physical feat and 50% an emotional feat. I get that now. My brain was fighting me as hard as my legs and I could not have gotten through without the support of my riding buddies. So here's the play by play:
Yesterday a lot of elements lined up to try and defeat me: a mighty head cold, long mileage, 85+ degree weather, and a big climb at the end of the day. I would not be defeated though!
The beginning of the ride was actually really amazing. For the first thirty miles my cold medicine was in full force and I was able to enjoy the lovely scenery of rolling hills, lakes, dams and everything in between. We even took a quick dip in a lake about 10 miles before lunch. We also encountered the halfway point of the Appalachian trail which was pretty cool!
Post-lunch was when things got a little tough. My head was in a fog and I was starting to feel the heat and mileage as well. Eventually I had to stop at a Walgreens to get some DayQuil and once that kicked in I was feeling a bit better.
With just 8 miles left in the ride we encountered one of our biggest climbs of the trip so far. It was 2 miles of straight climbing after we had already biked over 75 miles. Needless to say it was tough. Once we got past the peak it was smooth sailing into our host location.
Unlike most locations, in McConnellsburg, members of the church hosted us at their own homes. I was hosted by Val and Scott and their children Olivia and Henry. They made us homeade ice cream and even had a cold beer waiting for us. Honestly though, the best part was just having a bed, and a door. Big shout out to Henry for giving up his room for me. It really was just what I needed to try and kick that cold quicker. I could not be more grateful for their hospitality and the incredible breakfast they made for us bright and early in the morning.
We started today refreshed and hopeful, knowing we had a long ride day, but also knowing the majority of our route would be on bike trails along rivers. And you know what rivers mean?! Relative flatness!! We were overjoyed and ready to face the day.
Yet again the first 30 miles were splendid. We were just cruising along a wonderful bike trail and our spirits were high. But then the tides turned.
We realized the C&O canal towpath trail was incredibly muddy and basically impassible with a road bike. We were also in the middle of the woods with really spotty service so it was difficult for the whole group to communicate. We spent a lot of time deliberating about how to proceed which ate into a lot of the cooler morning time.
Our reroute ended up cutting down our mileage slightly, but involved 4 major mountain climbs, something we just weren't mentally prepared for. We also pushed ourselves hare on the first 30 miles assuming we had flat day ahead so we were already pretty tired.
A few high(/low)lights of the day: encountering a six foot (live!) snake in the road that Sarah subsequently ran over whilst screaming bloody murder, outbiking terrifying and tiny unleashed dogs, the 5-mile downhill after an absurdly difficult climb (new high speed of 41.9 mph!), and just generally being delirious together when the temp hit 93 degrees.
Long story short, I think I used more expletives today than I used normal words. It was incredibly difficult to convince my legs to carry me the last 25 miles. That said, I think I still had a really amazing time today since I haven't stopped smiling all night. The scenery was unreal and we all got through it together. It brought all of us closer together since we suffered through blood, sweat, and tears throughout the course of the day.
All in all, it's been a mentally and physically challenging couple days, but I'm so happy they happened. I'm pushing myself harder than ever before and I feel so motivated to keep going. Although I must admit, I am happy to stay in Cumberland tomorrow for a build day to rest my butt. Till next time!