82 miles. Schuylkill Haven PA, to McConnelsburg, PA
Thats right, 82 miles. I just spent 6 hours pedaling on my bike today. No way have I ever done anything like this to my body. Ever. AND IT FEELS GREAT!
This week I'm assigned to the cleanup chore crew, where my group has to make sure our host site is totally clean before we leave. Last week we were responsible for giving the presentation to our hosts during dinner.
Day started off quietly enough with more of the great rolling countryside and sunny weather. Got into a good game of boticelli on the road and a group of us were able to stop at this cozy sandwich shop in Carlisle, PA where Meghan was kind enough to let us fill up on bagels. It was such an obvious college joint for the nearby school and gave off that great hip vibe with its leather couches.
Following lunch a group of us came across these awesome oxen like creatrures and just observed their shagginess for a while. In general there areo many farm animals on the way. I can hardly describe how painfully beautiful some horses have been along the way. The smelly cows not so much but they're still cool and they even moo at us sometimes when we yell at them enough.
We could only go 200 more feet before we had to do an obiligatory frolic among hay barrells. it took 3 of us to even budge one. Fun was had by all.
Saw two amish horse buggies today. Seeing them have signal blinkers on the carriage and having to negotiate an intersection with them was hilarious.
We knew we had a long day ahead of us and pushed it until mile 60. This is when we quickly realized that the reason we had had so much flat ground for 3 days was because we had just reached the actual mountain range separating us from the rest of the country. Namely, the start of the Appalachians. CT had hills but i'm emphasizing that this was a legitimate mountain, meaning a mile and a half of straight ascent. I started climbing just before I was able to realize that all of us on this trip are probably insane.
To be honest, it just didn't end and was mindboggling. We were all in lowest gears barely able to rotate the pedals. It's too bad that this is where some of our riders with knee problems had to call the van. Never ever have I been so furious and happy at the same time as when i summited the ascent. We could hardly believe what we had just done and treated ourselves to the two mile downhill waiting for us.
At the next town, we were all ready for calories and invaded a general store. This is where I ate an entire sleeve of Fig Newtons, about 15 or so in 10 minutes. This did not fill me up as much as it merely held me over till i could snack next or dinner. But it gets better.
A few miles later at mile 70 we were treated to yet another full ascent of a mountain. This was just pure horror and my legs have probably never pushed so hard in my life. Unfortunately it was so steep that some riders had to get off and walk up. Don't know how but i found the power to get to the top where the riders ahead of me were splashing in the lake there.
Never in my life have i been so assured and determined to do anything as i was when i started marching straight into the water. I could barely get my gear off before my body threw itself into the water. It was like a baby's but meeting talc powder, except there was no mother applying anything. I was so hyped up on endorphins that i couldn't stop laughing the entire time. After our splash session, we assumed a quick 10 miles to our destination only to find that we had not even summited the mountain. Again, I might as well have been being beat with smelly bricks the whole way up. I'm sure the exhaustion from that would've been less. At the top of the ascent I found a second wind, via some vehement cursing, that brought me to this awesome biker bar and a breathtaking dusk view of our town.
We descended a super 3 miles of downhill to meet each other and our hosts. I remember still wanting to do more after having just done 82 miles. What happened today was literally both the best and worst thing I've ever done to my body. The whole way up was the most horrible muscular struggle I've ever faced, but it was so worth it. Seriously, there wasn't anything i didn't think i could accomplish after having just destroyed those two mountains. I'm sure that feeling will probably stay with me for a long time after this trip. it's just so great and inexplicable to be able to push yourself far past the limit that your mind sets for yourself. It opens up a whole new hidden pocket of self confidence.
We are doing homestay's tonight and the fabulous Don and Charlotte are hosting me and Doug. They're super cool. Don builds baseball fields around the country with his identical twin brother and his office is best described as a shrine to the sport with a wall of autographed balls and two actual stadium streets there. Charlotte is such a sweetheart who used to teach 4th grade and kindergarten. She is so much fun to talk with. I barely asked her anything before she was already telling me her and Don's life story. it's really painful for me to see the effects that Multiple Sclerosis is having on her ability to walk around her own house. But her eyes lit up like unregulated headlights when she explained how she just recently reached the one mile a day landmark on her recumbrent bicycle. What great people.
Their son Tim who lives next door also passed by and Doug and i chatted with him about his time in the Peace core in Chad.
I actually can't even keep my eyes open anymore. to sleep. now.
No comments:
Post a Comment