July Effect Part 2 (go back and read Part 1)

Driving to work sucks

To be fair to the Residents concerning the "July Effect" Gentle Readers of This Blog, what the literature revealed was not so much the beginning doctors being incompetent--it was more a matter of learning how the hospital works and how the pecking order played out.  When they arrive, they're pretty much the low-man on the totem pole.  If they're lucky, they'll have good mentors.  They will also have to prove themselves to the nursing staff.  If you're a jerk to the nurses, they can eat you alive--and make your life a Living Hell.  If new Residents are smart, they figure this out pretty fast.

Inside "The Jim"

Before my accident--in which I still wake up every morning not able to believe it even happened--I was working out at the Jim Thorpe Fitness Center.  Its the old power plant for Haskell and everyone knows it as "The Jim."  

In Mid-December, I had just gotten back from hauling everything cross-county from Tucson back to Lawrence.  I did this move with a rental truck, packing up our house there in Tucson and then bringing it back and then un-packing in cold wet Kansas.  It was a long, tough couple of weeks, mes amis.  My body was shot and I was about to start a new job.  

I was a train wreck--fat, out of shape, stressed, and in the dumps.  My first few weeks at my new job I faked it as my back was shot and I was in a lot of pain.  I just went to work, come home and went to bed.  I decided to see what was up with the Jim and that's where I saw an advert for a certified personal trainer--Will.

The Jim Thorpe Fitness Center on the Haskell Campus

Will had been on the KU Rowing Team, and then later one of he coaches of the Team.  I met Will and we hit it off right away--and then got started.  The best thing about the Jim is that its Federally funded, which means its fee to everyone.  Its Haskell's best kept secret.  You don't have to be a Haskell Student, and you don't have to pay a membership fee, etc.  So I end up paying Will my Coach for his expertise and not both of our membership fees.  It makes it very affordable--thank goodness.

So we got started and I was working with Will along with going to Celebrity Spin, which was three days a week.  I got steadily got stronger and felt the best I've ever felt in years, mes amis!

Keeping my upper body strong

My fitness saved me from what could have been a pretty ugly situation.  Although I was injured, I kept my routine of two days a week lifting weights for the last few months, on crutches then limping over to the Jim. 

I did squats to strengthen my legs for Brevets

I don't know when I'll be able to resume squats--not for many months.  I discovered to my surprise that I could lift a lot of weight, and could do all the different types of squats with much more weight than I thought possible for a guy my age.  I had very powerful legs, a strong back, and I had gradually built up my upper body strength over the course of my workouts.  Squats are the best workouts ever--done correctly that is.  Having a professional there to help you is a good idea.   

Working out the kinks

I don't know when I'll be able to ride the bike again.  I'll start some sort of physical therapy soon and Dr. S. told me first thing is to gain range of motion--and then work on strength.  Will had me pedal backward on the recumbent bike to work out my hamstrings.  When I tried to pedal like riding it was a bit painful and I could tell the muscles are weak and sore.  Still it felt good to move them without fear of falling.  I'm not sure yet if I will be able to ride that mile to work yet, as its a gradual up-hill climb--maybe sooner than I think!

Cheers!  Bruce

The July Effect

Rico's band, "Up the Academy" playing at the 8th Street Tap Room, Lawrence, KS.

You don't want to have any type of surgery in the month of July, Gentle Readers of This Blog.  The reason, and a review of the medical literature will support this, is that medical errors soar in the month of July--the month when new Residents (kids right out of medical school) start their residency at the hospital they've been matched to.  This is when they begin their practice, and believe me you don't want them to practice on you.  If you must have surgery make sure you get in writing that your surgeon will be the actual guy doing it--not watching or talking a resident through the procedure so they can learn how its done.

I had this document prepared last week to hand to Dr. S. as I tossed and turned for a few nights awaiting my visit to his office.  I had a MRI and got bad news--my quadriceps tendon was 2/3rds torn.  A nurse Belinda called me and she stated this finding to me in a monotone robotic fucking dead-pan voice--which offended the fuck out of me.

"Is this a recording?" I said.  There was a long pause.
"Dr. S. will discuss with you surgical options at your appointment."  Nurse Belinda coldly stated...

I need to back up about a week when Little Egypt was back from Kuwait for a few weeks, mes amis...

Little Egypt got home and she and Rico and I debated what to do about our vacation and her time off back for R and R.  At first I wanted to try and go, and then it was decided that she and Rico would go and I'd stay back in KS--or maybe we'd all stay and just rest and go to NYC some other time.  From where we would be staying on Staten Island, we would have a mile walk to the free ferry that went over to Manhattan every day.  Feeling strong but still on crutches, we decided that I would try to walk to downtown Lawrence to have dinner just to see if I could do it.

It was a disaster, mes amis--I couldn't even get two block before I was exhausted.  So we decided we'd stay home and we'd all rest up.  Rico was planing a three week tour with his band and before the road, he wanted time by himself and to rest and re-charge.  School has just gotten out and it was a busy semester for him.

We also went to go see the Avengers.  Aliens come down to NYC and start a rumble.  Little Egypt and Rico joked that I would have probably been toast--unable to run away from the death beams and falling debris as the Avengers fought to save the planet.

Little Egypt and I went to see the Surgeon in Kansas City a few days later.  It was not fun for me--the place was super busy and people were hurting and damaged; much sicker than me.  I tried to hold myself up and have some dignity--one, by not wearing a sleeveless shirt showing off all my tasteless tattoos--and two, not texting or blabbing on my cell phone in some ill-mannered fashion.

The thing I observed about Medical Industrial Complex USA is that on one extreem you have the sick: for the most part a blue collar, obese, cigarette-smoking lot of folks with mullets and tattoos.  And then on the other end the smug tight-asses in scrubs--The clinical staff.  They tend to be fit, handsome, and clean people.  In particular the women favor athleticism--but they treat you like a sub-specis.  To them you are the unwashed masses--cattle mulling around in the great public feedlot of America.

I actually get them to help me, sometimes even look at me, by being polite and well mannered...

Anyway, so we see my surgeon after waiting two hours--the poor man is busy, very busy.  He apologizes that it has taken three weeks to get in to see him.  With my kind of injury its important to have surgery right away for best results.  I let him know I was a staff medical librarian at Tucson Medical Center--so I knew what kind of stresses he had every day.  He was able to relax a bit and then he said, "So you probably know what's going on right?"  and I said I had a good idea.

The real test to see if I needed surgery was if I could lift my leg up--lying on my back, and then lifting up my leg.  I was able to limp around without crutches, stand okay, and had no pain.  I told him about my cycling and weight training (Will my coach at the Jim Thorpe Fitness Center had me training to do squats to strengthen my legs for the Brevet Season) but when the test came, I could not move my injured left leg at all.  This meant the tendon was torn and I'd need surgery.

But as I seemed to be pretty strong and Dr. S. couldn't feel a hole or space where the tendon had separated from my knee--he asked if I'd be up for him taking all the fluid off my knee; that might enable me to pass and then we'd know if it was just a bad sprain--or torn tendon.  Little Egypt quickly volunteered me, bless her heart--while I started to get nauseous--Dr. S. was going to give me a couple of shots to numb my knee, then take a LARGE syringe and drain the fluid off my knee.  And then give the knee a steroid shot.   I got through all this by keeping my eyes shut and concentrating on not passing out.

After a few minutes I tried to repeat the leg lift--I could not do it.  I was devastated, mes amis--it meant surgery.  Dr. S. seemed a bit disappointed as well.

About ten minutes later as we were getting ready to leave and waiting for paper work from the nurse, Little Egypt had me try again.  Holy Shit!  I was able to lift my leg!  I had done it!  The nurse ran got Dr. S. and he was like, "Okay what now I'm so freakin' busy..." and I repeated the feat.  His expression changed to one of satisfaction.  "This is good.  The MRI I'm ordering will tell us--Later..." and he was gone.

What a difference bloody goo being sucked off you knee can make, Gentle Readers of This Blog!  Each day I got better and better--stronger and able to walk, now without crutches (although with an awkward limp) but I was sure that the knee was going to heal, and I'd soon have physical therapy on top what I what I was already doing at the Jim.

MRI Results, June 20th

Back to the call from Nurse Belinda.  A torn tendon 2/3rds damaged was a let down.  This perplexed Will, my weight training coach as he felt for sure that I'd get by without surgery.  So we began to prepare for yet another six to eight weeks of recovery post surgery (it was now going on six weeks after my fall) and my weight training resumed to get my upper body prepared to lug my fat ass around on crutches some more.

Back in KC and at Dr. S.'s office, I was prepared for the news.  Dr. S. came in and sat down, and then explained the MRI and the tear--and then he said, based on my fitness and over-all ability to walk, etc--that no surgery would be needed--I had made it, Gentle Readers of This Blog!  The tear would heal, much in the same way if he went in and sewed it together.  The 1/3 of my tendon left attached was holding things together and I would recover.

It was still going to take some time, and I'd have to have physical therapy--but without surgery (in July even) things were looking good!

So I texted everyone in the parking lot of the sports medicine complex, and then as I drove home I got a call from Little Egypt from Kuwait.  She was wanting to know if she was going to have to fly home on emergency leave to take care of me after knee surgery.  I gave her the good news!  And she was happy because she just got back to Kuwait and it would be a logistical nightmare to fly back to KS again, and then fly back to Kuwait--just to fly back to KS at the end of her deployment.

It just so happened that Rico and his band were on their way back from Chicago for one night at the Tap Room downtown this same day.  We'd get home about the same time and we decided to have lunch--I'd tell him about my good fortune, and he'd tell me about the tour so far.  We had lunch, then came home and he did laundry and slept while I sent an email to Little Egypt.  I slept the rest of the day (I took the day off from work) and I'd meet Rico later at the show.

So I saw the show (they played last) had a beer, and felt like I had lucked out--but really, as you all know, it was due to my cycling (spin class) and weigh training (at the Jim) that saved the day.

Cheers!  Bruce

Road to Recovery

X-Ray



My leg was not broken, Gentle Readers of This Blog.  I did suffer a severe sprain--and possibly a torn quadriceps muscle.  Its been a long haul this past month of May.  What can I say?  I've dealt with frustration and depression.  I've been on crutches for almost a month.  Still I can't believe this has happened to me--but again, having a cyclist's legs--I was spared worse.  I received the images and as you can see--no break up there on the femur.

Inside of the knee is good--just the torn muscles and maybe tendons.  Pretty much my left leg has been useless--like dragging around a tree-trunk.  Slow-going getting around too--but I have been going to the Jim Thorpe Fitness Center (The Jim as we say here at Haskell) and lifting weights for my upper body.  I can do push-ups too!

You can see that the left knee is swollen, and you can see that bruise on my inner-thigh.  The swelling has gone down and needed to go down so they can do a MRI. 



Here's the Douglas County Courthouse where I slipped and fell down the stairs.  The structure was built in 1888.  The steps I slipped on were worn and grooved.  The County told me recently that the steps were "safe enough" so they are not liable.  The hard and stressful part of this journey is that I may have to hire an attorney if the costs start getting up there, mes amis...

Rico the afternoon he picked me up and drove me home from the ER.  He's been a big help to me but really, I am fairly able to do everything I need to do.  With Little Egypt in Kuwait, he's run errands, done the grocery shopping, and helped keep my spirits up!  I can't ride a bike yet, and I can't drive a stick-shift.  I drive the SUV to work (just a mile and a half) but that's another post, mes amis!

 In the ER they gave me a leg-brace--but it would not stay on--so I don't use it for walking. Now I'm just down to using one crutch. Everyday I get a little stronger! It has been a long month, but I am happy to report a good outlook for the future!

Cheers! Bruce

Could Have Been Worse

Yesterday I slipped on a step and fell down a flight a stairs, mes amis.  It was quite a shock to me and still is a bit now as I write.  I had gone downtown to the County Courthouse, a stately old building from the 1880s, to pay for license plate and registration renewal for the car.  As I was going down the first few steps to the desk in the lower level, somehow I slipped and then went tumbling down the stairs.  And when I hit the bottom of the stairs I heard a loud snap like a tree branch.  I laid there for a moment and realized--My God, I've broken my leg.  Then after a few seconds--incredible pain.

I suddenly broke out into a dripping cold sweat, couldn't move, and started going into shock I guess.  Luckily for me, one of the clerks had had some trauma training, and she keep me just hanging on to a conscience state--asking me my name, b-date and all that--as a wave of pain came and went, and then came back over me again.

I could not believe this was happening to me, Gentle Reader of This Blog--slipping on step?  Falling down a flight of stairs?  My left leg above my knee, the femur--the big leg bone, felt like a car was parked on it.  I could hear the ambulance on the way--and all I could think about was some surgeon waking me up to tell me all the screws and plates were in place.  I also clung to the notion that I was a cyclist--an athlete--not some careless idiot.

Got and IV with some magic in it I suppose, but no pain killer because of blood pressure or something like that the Paramedic told me.  I'd just have to hang on a few more minutes until they got me up and out to the ambulance.  "Any thing else?  Did you hit your head?  Your neck okay?  Are you allergic to any drugs?" and all their questions.

So I got to the hospital, the ER, and got some pain medicine, and got down to the X-Ray.  Which I have to say was pretty tough, because every time they moved me, man but it was really really painful...

The good news--and I mean really good news from the x-rays--my leg was not broken.  What a relief I have to tell you, Gentle Reader--and about this time, although I was in a funk-state--the pain started to retreat.

By this time Rico was there and I was able to relax and try to un-clench my self.  With all the IV and fluids they pumped in me I had to piss like a race horse.  With some negotiations with the nurse, a plastic bottle was procured, and she and Rico helped me sit up, kind of stand on my right leg, and while the nurse went out I was able to pee.  I was also able to steady myself on my right leg and stand, and hold myself up by holding on the rails of the bed.

Getting a bit scolded for that, the nurse got me back to bed and then the doc came in and I said, "Give me the shot or pill and let me outta here, man." He was still a bit concerned about that snap I heard when I fell.  He poked and squeezed around my thigh, saying, "That hurt?" "What about here?" "How about there?''  "HOLY F_UCK!!!"  to that spot was my reply.

Well, maybe my quadriceps were torn--a tendon maybe torn--they would know from a MRI.  That would be from a specialist he set up for me.  Your quad is that big muscle from your knee to your hip--the one that as cyclists we use for all our power (which I hoped I'd still have after this) Actually he was very impressed, as were the nurses, that I had not broken my leg--or anything else for that matter.  I fell down a set of 110 year-old granite steps so it was a hard fall.  The doc said my cycling, and the weight training I'd been doing at the Jim Thorpe Fitness Center definitely saved my leg from breaking.  Surgery to fix a torn quad, if that was it, he would not speculate.

My nurse got got one of those big leg support straps on me to keep my leg straight, and then, just over an hour from falling down the stairs and writhing in pain,  I was hopping around and able to go back and forth on the crutches they gave me.  Again the doctor was like, "Dude you lucked-out on this one."

Tired-out now and feeling dopey from pain killers, I took the wheel chair to the car Rico had waiting for me, and I was able to get myself in and sit down.  From the weight training I could tell those muscles were there for me--the squats I had been doing, and the push-ups, and the lunges I'd been slowly building up with at the Jim had payed off, mes amis.

I'm not saying by any means that I'm some  kind of power-house--I'm just saying that the weights I'd been doing since January when I started at Haskell, on my lunch hour, gave me some stability.  When I started I couldn't even do one push-up and had no upper body strength--I mean none--seriously.

Celebrity Spin class helped me out too I know--heart-rate and power training for 10 weeks probably saved my leg from breaking.  Just got to hope the damage, if there is any to my quadriceps, is not severe (no surgery) and that I can get back on the bike here soon.

Well, wish me luck, mes amis.  As I know more, I'll let you know--but really, I'm feeling strong and I'm going to try and go to work in the morning.

Cheers!  Bruce

Tale Wind

After a 50 mile ride in a 30 mph head wind.  

Everyone in the Bike Club was excited about going out on a perfect Sunday.  But as the time to meet approached, clouds, cold, and gusty wind arrived howling.  You know, Gentle Readers of This Blog, I considered bagging this one and going back to bed--which would have been the smart thing to do.  Instead I suited up, clipped in, and headed downtown.  

So there I was just moi and thinking maybe I should just head back home cause this is insane and no one is gonna show--and then suddenly this other rider appeared and I did not recognize her at first.  "Hey Bruce!" she said with a smile--Holy Head Wind but it was Karen, my coach from Celebrity Spin Class!  Whoa--Karen is a celebrity around these parts--and I'm riding with her!  Wow!  So we're giving it a few minutes to wait for anybody else--and Tommy arrives.  "Sorry I'm late!  Let's go!" so we were off.  

Okay, mes amis, let me tell you that the head wind going out was brutal--cold, blowing and gusty and gritty!  We took turns pulling and very very slowly made out way to Lecompton, KS via the old Farmer's Turnpike.  I always use the Farmer's Turnpike as a fast dash to get back to Lawrence as its mostly down-hill from the village of Lecompon.  This time we were going West, a way I've never gone--so it was up-hill with lots of long slow climbs, and with a headwind of 30 mph--maybe even more.  

It was a struggle for me.  I'm the big Clydesdale and working extra hard to stay with my mates--I pushed my heart-rate to almost max several times trying in vain to keep up.  They dropped me on the steepest hills, but on the down-side I'd catch up.  My big-ness keeping me on the road while they felt like they had to work hard just to stay on their bikes.  

Finally finally we made it to Lecompton all leaning against the wall of this local restaurant looking exhausted and beaten.  It was after church, and the place was packed with everybody.  We were just slumped there, as I said, propped up against the building--in a stupor. 

Then this well-dressed older gent came out of the restaurant with his wife.  He was, as I could sense--the preacher.  He had a preacher suit on, a preacher hair-do, and his tie--mes amis--glowed with the image of shinning simple silver cross.  He looked upon us and smiled.  "Well, you're going to have one Hell of a ride bike with this wind."  "Yup--"  I was the only one who seemed to have energy to speak.  And so the Man and Wife got in the Lincoln Continental and drove away.  Tommy said, "Let's go--" and so we did.  

You can only imagine the tail wind, Gentle Reader.  It was like I had on a freakin' jet pack!  With gravity on my side, I sped down the road like a freight-train--Big Sexy in the Big Gears.  

Finally back in Lawrence--my ears ringing from the roaring both ways, eyes burning from dust in the wind, and every ounce of strength drained.  Oh and it was still cold as we stopped in the parking lot at the park downtown to say our farewells. 

Butt massage compliments of New York St., Lawrence, Kansas, USA

Good To Have Bike Friends

Bob, Sally, Tommy

Still trying out the new interface in blogger.

Wearing my cold weather stuff today

Lone Star Lake.  A bit cold for swimmers and fisherman today, mes amis

Mighty Trek

Our fast pace-line for the ride back to Lawrence

Gwen

Tommy "The Tornado"

Sally--a long-time Tucson resident like me

Bob--we became friends during Celebrity Spin Class--the Man is Fast!

Leg warmers can finally come off mes amis!

These guys are fun to ride with and though it would not seem the case, all of them are fast!  And I have to work to keep up.  They've all been riding together for many years so the pace is smooth, fast, and fun.  I enjoy this kind of riding, mes amis!

Where food comes from my children--they were telling me that this is corn...

Yours, Bob, Gwen, and Tommy

The Singing Dynamo Hub

Rain and cold on the 300.

I'm finally posting Gentle Readers of This Blog--the 300 didn't go as planned for me I'm afraid. Possibly I could have made it but with the rain and cold, and hypothermia coming on--I had to DNF late in the ride in the middle of the night.

I got lucky and had an escape plan that worked--this time. But I have to say this was a hard brevet for me. Pretty much the first 15 to 20 miles were okay. I was with the group and when we started to spread out, I could see everyone up ahead so I felt good. The roads were pretty much deserted--fast and smooth rollers endlessly in front of me.

Wind and dark clouds soon arrived--with lightening too--and all of were caught off guard because within seconds a down-pour soaked us--soaked me before I could dismount and get on my rain gear. That was the tough part, mes amis--having all my gear wet so early. I'm glad I brought everything really because I almost left stuff behind--booties and rain pants--things that I bought early in December and January for just this kind of brevet. I was carrying what seemed like a ton of stuff--and I would use all of it...

I really will consider building a brevet bike. Fenders would have been a big help to me. Oh and on some fast rollers with the group, I hit a bump and one of my water bottles flew out and rolled into the high grass. I did not stop to retrieve it as I wanted to stay with everyone--plus I had packed an extra in the Carridice bag just in case.

Pretty much the ride was a slog in heavy rain. The route was remote and scenic, through rich green farmland--best I've ever seen. But the miles took their toll--and I just want to say that, again--I felt that the cue sheet was kind of vague--as I got lost a few times--and rode way off course and had to back-track. It didn't help that I was cold, tired--and probably confused and not thinking clearly.

Totally lost with cold and darkness setting in, I weighed my options and made a call to Ricky to come fetch me in Marshall Missouri. The thing was, Gentle Reader, is that I was so off-course that the cue sheet really would be of no use--I pretty much rode to the what I figured was Marshall, MO as I could see the city lights reflecting on the clouds lumbering above that locale. I have to tell you it was a cold long lonely ride. Man, I was so tired too...

Ricky and I made it to that fair city within minutes of each other--about two hours from when I called him. I had ridden almost 50 miles more than where I would be on the cue sheet. I just wanted to get the hell outta there--I was wet, frozen, and exhausted.

Schmidt Dynamo Hub and light set up for the 300.

I wanted to let you know that out on a test ride, I started to hear a click up front. I thought it could be the hub going out, and this really worried me because I had phoned up Peter White Cycles in Vermont, and talked a few minutes with Linda when I was ordering replacement bulbs for my light. I had wondered if I should need to send them the hub and have them service it--but Linda said only if I started to hear a grinding sound. Well I wasn't sure and I called her right away when I had the chance. Also want to tell you when I got the replacement bulbs--I ordered five--the first one I tried with the Dynamo flared and burned out. With only a few days before the ride, I was worried I'd have no hub--or it would go out. So after calling Peter White Cycles again, and talking to Linda--and she talking to one of the mechanics there--they thought it could be the spokes and to get them checked-out.

This position worked well for me--really was trail and error to get just the right beam the way I liked on the road mes amis.

Sure enough later after work, Chad at the local bike shop found the problem--but the real diagnosis was that the wheel was shot. He spent 20 minutes working away, trying to get the spokes tight. The wheel was true but pretty beat up. Would it last a 300? Not sure and only one way to find out.

I can report that the Lumotec worked fantastic on the road, and the hub was the least of my worries--but it creaked, clicked, and moaned on those mile I rode. Sometimes it was like riding by a house and hearing people talking on their porch outside in the cool air. Other times the sound was like a hum or someone singing silently to their self. It was eerie a few times in the middle of the night on a dark rolling road in the country.

I still use the bulbs and don't have LED yet, but even in the worst conditions, this light with the hub is extremely reliable--and it was bright. A bit about my hub--it was given to me by the legendary Randonneur, Gerry Goode, of Boston Massachusetts. The hub and the wheel had seen many brevets and was used at least twice for PBP and who knows how many times for BMB. With all these miles on the wheel, well time to have another built (being built as I write) and the hub, from what Linda tells me, will last from many more years.

Riding over the Missouri River into Glasgow, Missouri.

I photographed the bridge going over the Missouri River and going right into the town of Glasgow. From here I'd have 14 miles to Fayatte, MO for the turn around and controle at mile 97 (which would be mile 107 for me because of a missed turn and back-track in the town of Slater...)

Captains Lewis and Clark and the Voyage of Discovery crew stopped here in 1802.

Glory Days.

I will say that the small towns in Missouri seem to be fairing much better than the ones I've seen in Kansas. The landscape was rich and beautiful (when the rain let up a few hours anyway) and as you can see, the people that farmed this land prospered. I believe there will soon be a shift back to the more organic farm, and the greedy, poisonous way corporate farms do business will not be tolerated by consumers much longer.

Trying to dry out my clothes--but not much luck.

So I have been wondering if this brevet riding is worth it, Gentle Readers of This Blog. But really, the problem was not my fitness level or my gear--it was logistical. Problems with cue sheet and missed turns--also weather. I really believe its time to build up a brevet bike with fenders, etc. That could have helped me more. I also believe that I will attempt the 400 on April 28th. Then the 600 in May 12th. After Little Egypt has comes home for R and R--and then heads back to Kuwait, I can try and make up a 300 in Iowa later in mid-June.

Cheers! Bruce

Race Day Photos

Crossing the finish line.

I volunteered to help out on Jayhawk Classic this weekend. I worked with a few of the young fellows that are on the KU Cycling Team, and a few of the lads work at the local bike shop as well. All the police had to be on duty for Lawrence--KU Basketball team was playing a final-four game (which they miraculously won) on a Saturday night, and all the downtown bars and pubs would be full of revelers.

So I went out to Perry Lake, where I had ridden just a few weeks before, and offered to do whatever was needed. I had a pretty good time and got a few photos for you. Also, I threw out my back, mes amis. Not good with the 300 coming up April 7th--I was pretty worried and had to resort to some powerful pain killers to shake the agony. Now all I can do is test ride in the evenings with my Dynamo Hub for the brevet. I wanted to help out the KU Cycling Team, and also wanted to get out and move around to get the back loosened up.


Teams start showing up about 8:30 in the morning.

Getting registered for the races.

I was pretty surprised at how young everyone looked--and how many young women there were too. Everyone seemed to know everyone else and there was a friendly-party type atmosphere. The day was also beautiful--and no wind! That was good because the wind beat me to a pulp when I rode out here only a few weeks before.

Lead car and the pack on the Perry Lake Dam.

My job was to be on a corner on wave a flag in the direction the riders needed to go. Seems simple enough, but unfortunately Gentle Readers of This Blog, I was posted on the busy corner where people pulling boats and bringing ATVs were entering the lake area. So what I had to do was stop cars, trucks, and motorcylce riders so the racers could zip around and through the corner.

For the most part, it was easy and people didn't mind stopping. The pack would ride over the bridge, and then within about three minutes be flying around a blind corner. I really had to time stopping the cars just right so they wouldn't be suddenly merging with about 60 riders going about 30 mph.

Everyone was pretty chill. There was one woman who did not want to stop and was going to try to go around me just as the group went through. Luckily I kept her from going ahead as she would have collided with the pack. She said she's had enough of this bike stuff and turned did an awkward tire squealing U-turn. I wanted to say something but kept my mouth shut. As I said, everyone else was understanding and polite--it was the weekend and nice weather, and no one seemed bothered waiting less than a minute while the riders went past.

Iowa State Cycling Team at the Start/Finish Line.

At that corner, I was not really in a good position to take any photographs, but I got a few when I drove back up to the start for the lunch break.

Kansas State fielded a pretty good group.

University of Kansas Team was the host team--like I said, this was more like a beach party than a bike race.

The Minnesota Team was the power-house today.

After lunch, many of the volunteers abandoned the event, but I said I would stick around and help out--hey, these guys work on my bike and help me out all the time! Why would I leave them when they need me the most?

I was on a different corner this time, Gentle Reader of This Blog, and so was able to get some photos for you of the team time trails!

Click on the pictures to seem them bigger...

A team comes down the hill from the start and now races over the Perry Lake Dam.

Coming up on my corner where I waved them to the right.

K State.

University of North Dakota had a good team and strong riders!

University of Iowa.

Iowa riders setting up for the turn.

KU Team looking good today.

I'm glad I went out to help on the course. It got my head cleared after a few days of having to take strong pain killers. I was outside, the air was fresh and clean, and I found my self really admiring these young men and women as they did their best for their schools.

At the lunch break I was talking to one of the racing officials--as she noticed that I was one of the few "Grown-ups" about the young racers. I told her I was a brevet rider, and you know, Gentler Reader, she smiled and said, "Oh yeah--you guys! Now that's some real riding!" so hey its nice that someone recognized and appreciates randonneuring.

Allure Libre! Bruce

200 Things About Riding a 200 KM Brevet

On the 200 kilometer Brevet.

I rode the 200 this past weekend in 10 hours and 10 minutes, pulling into the controle at Shawnee, Kansas, just after 5 o’clock. I made it, Gentle Readers of This Blog—but as you know, it was not easy. I did many right things but then I made some errors that could have cost me. The mistakes I made were right at the first and then right at the last—the rest of the ride went well and I’m pleased.

First up I started packing and getting my gear together during the week. It has been a year since I rode a brevet, and that brevet was back in Arizona—a 200 that I’ve ridden many times. This Kansas City Brevet would be all new—new people, new course, and new challenges. The unknown would be the weather—it had been raining for days, and the forecast was finally for sunshine on Saturday. Still I wanted to have everything I’d been buying up since January for tough weather conditions—new gloves, rain pants, booties, etc.

I also needed new tires as the back tire on the Mighty Trek was bald from Celebrity Spin Class. The two local bikes shops in town had sold out on almost every tire in stock. All that was left were a set of Continental Hard Shell 28mm—I could have bought the 23’s—but what I really like are the 25 mm Gator Skins but there were none. So I went ahead and bought the 28’s (they were expensive, mes amis--$117.00) and glad I did as they worked fine.

I rode a 68 mile “dress rehearsal” out and around Perry Lake last post—but I changed over and added my Caradice Bag for this brevet—there would be no drop bag service like on Susan’s brevets—and no wraps either I’m sad to say. This brevet was get your cue sheet and your brevet card and off you go. The weight would be a little bit more but not much. I could carry everything I needed but not too much stuff all crammed in one bag—so I had room for an extra empty water bottle—just in case, and room to stow my arm and legs warmers. I also brought just basic “legal lights” if I was to drag this ride out late—but turns up it was a cold and foggy morning and I needed those lights for the first hours until the Sun burned that chilly grey patch away.

Okay—the start, mes amis. It was very dark and the lights of the Phillips 66 –slash-Subway were not on. But riders were gathering and I have to admit, it was a bit difficult to get any kind of information as most of the guys I talked to when I was there had never done these brevets, and none of them knew Bob Burns or Spencer Klassen. So it was a bit confusing but I finally found Mr. Burns and checked in—Bob Burns is a legendary brevet rider—an ex-military officer—and stone deaf they told me later. But he managed and got everybody set up. I guess what I’m saying is that things were a bit unorganized and the regulars indifferent. If somebody would have said, “Hey Bob is over there and that’s where you check-in.” That would have helped a lot of us new guys out.

We started and I did not know this but the first half mile was a huge climb. I don’t know what happened but my heart rate, within the first quarter-mile, if that even, shot well up over my max which is 172—it was like 180 and I was thinking I was going to blow a gasket! I thought I was going to puke then die! It was confusing and scary and I felt like I had a gaping wound such that I was rapidly bleeding to death—or something! So pulled my butt over the side and slowed down and put it in the third “Mt. Lemmon” ring, if it wasn’t there already—and tried to get my heart-rate down—and tried to calm myself down—while everyone appeared to drop me. What had I done? What about all my training? Not even the first mile of this brevet and I am dead!!!

Head clearing and vision coming back—I got to the top of the hill to see everyone gone. Sweat dripping down my face and breathing hard, suddenly something must have re-booted; the heart-rate was normal—I was taking deep even breaths—I was still alive… Then blast off and I was tearing down the road at Celebrity Spin Class Speed. Within a few miles I was catching up—then in a pace line. Then advancing to the next pace line—then the next. Finally I found myself riding with the boys from St. Joe at a good clip, still thinking about how I freaked out at the start of this ride.

When I pulled up a few miles from the hardy and friendly boys from St. Joseph, Missouri, I saw two riders up ahead and just kept them in my sights and followed. When we were out of the twists and turns of the suburbs, I slowly picked up my pace on a long stretch of “country-fried” road to gain on them. I was feeling good—my heart-rate was in perfect sync with my cadence,
and I was gaining on the two randonneurs ahead of me. As I was about 50 yards behind them, a big German Shepard, fiercely sprang from the tall grass and lunged at me—but rather than yell at him—I said, “Good Boy! How ya doing?” and he suddenly was like a happy puppy and just wanted to play. I slowed down so he could joyfully run beside me—because that’s all he really wanted to do was run and play. I gave him a pat on the head and was off.

When Brian and Arils had heard the dog, they slowed up—wondering if I had made it past that farm in one piece. They were very glad to know that said dog was friendly and we had a light-hearted encounter. Brian and Arils, both from St. Joe’s as well—were happy to have me along, and I must say Gentle Readers I hung with them for almost the entire ride as their pace was strong and I was just able to push myself and keep up.

I can tell you that the rest of the ride was the three of us taking turns drafting—but it was mainly Brian who did all of the work. He was strong, and when Arlis would tire she would drop back and I’d follow him. I ate lunch with them at the half-way turn around controle, and with all their friends from the rest of the St. Joe’s group I had met and ridden with so far. One thing about Brian and Arlis—they didn’t waste any time at the controles—it was get in get out. I grabbed what I could and shoved it in my face. One thing that really worked were these things called shot blocks, by Cliff Bar. Each one was about 100 calories, with about 6 or 8 shots in a pack. They were easy to squeeze out of the wrapper and eat. I had two packs of them and they certainly kept me fueled—just enough—and kept me from bonking a few times. I did not eat enough mes amis, and as the controles were so fast, I didn’t buy enough. I also didn’t want to waste a lot of money—things were expensive! Better to take more with you than buy it.

I should have eaten more at the turn around, Gentle Reader of This Blog—but good thing I didn’t. Everyone had bought these little personal pizzas, and they looked good. I looked around where people got them but I never saw them. This was luck because on the way back Arlis was not feeling so well—so they had to drop back to rest; I rode on ahead.

I want to tell you that all of our spirits sank when we realized that we were going to have a headwind coming at us from the North. This is very rare, mes amis, there’s always a tailwind pushing you back. Well that was not going to happen. And the wind was getting stronger and now I was out there on my own and it was hard. After a few miles going up and down on smooth rollers, I saw the St. Joe’s Boys up ahead. They had pulled out ahead of us at the turn
around controle—and it looked like I was gaining on them. I pushed it up a few notches and I was getting closer—but the headwind stronger. I had to slow it down and eased into a little town (can’t recall the name) and while trying to figure out the cue sheet, Brain and Arlis were coming up behind me, so I waited for them and we rode together.

The thing I did right was ride with Brian and Arlis—the other guys were too fast for my anyway. I like riding with Brian and Arlis because they were steady, and I have to say that in a headwind it is good to be in pack and get some draft to save energy… We would need it because the whole 60 plus mile back were rough in that head wind. At times we started to spread out and I struggled to stay with Brian. At one point I think Arlis had to pull back the pace and slow up to recover. I pushed on ahead.

With my spin training and weight training now at the Jim Thorpe Fitness Center on my lunch hour at Haskell, I felt like I was able to ride often 16 to 17 mph in the headwind. When it was really hard, like toward the end of the ride with the last eight miles or so, we could all of us only ride 9 to 11 mph—mes amis it was that brutal!

All that work and all that pushing in the headwind, and by myself—I suddenly had to pee real bad. When you’re kind of in the suburbs of somewhat affluent Kansas City, Kansas, you can’t just pull over and check the tire pressure if you know what I mean. Finally I saw a gas station right before one of the last turns on the cue sheet, like at mile 109—and I stopped to take a leak. What I didn’t do because I wanted to save time, was buy some more food and fill my water bottles—that was a mistake! I was hungry all right, and I had about half a bag of Doritos—and had those. I had a few shot blocks—and I had just over half a water bottle left on the Mighty Trek. I should have got more water.

The last miles were the toughest, Gentle Reader—Brian and Arlis had ridden past me because soon up ahead I could see them. It took some time, but finally I caught up with them when they had to hold for a stop light. We were back together again and I was able to recover in the pace line. The wind was bearing down and we slogged our way the last six to seven miles back—each time having to crest yet another hill top—it was relentless, mes amis. And my water supply began to slip away with each much-need gulp. I was down to my last 100 calorie shot block. But there was no way we were stopping!

Finally—yes finally we were pulling into the controle at the finish. I turned my card in, uttered a few sentence to Bob Burns who was at the controle talking to riders—and with my few last gasps of what energy I had left, I got next door to the Subway and got me a Cold Cut Combo ordered up. I cannot tell you how beautiful the Coke-Cola tasted as I drank it down. It was like the movies where some poor bloke, after crawling through the desert, is at the oasis of cool water—he is saved! That was me.

I should have got water and a bite at my stop at mile 109. The last 16 miles were hard and I almost about dropped to the pavement. I would have had to stop—tried to recover with only miles to go—while the clock ran away. Instead I just barely made it to the last. But I did make it, Gentle Reader—I made it…

The 300 is April 7th and that’s not far away. It seems like the ink here’s not even dry and its time to roll to the start. Many said they want to ride it but have not signed up. Arlis says she’s signed up but Brian has not. Whatever this means is that I may or may not have people to ride with. I’ve got the 200 under my belt and now there’s the 300—186 miles—to ride with my dynamo hub. It works but there’s gonna be that drag on the wheel. And then I heard that the 300 has lots of hills.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, mes amis—with no photos this time I thought I’d give you the details best I could. Cheers!

Bruce