ROAD TRIP with Stu Sanders! Yea. Left B'rat at 11am for Bright. Made good time and arrived about 4pm. Went into town to register and collect signal tag for the bike. Off to River View Caravan park and set up tents. We were having tea when a MAJOR storm hit. I didn't put the fly over Meatheads tent properly so the water managed to get in though a hole in the front of the tent as well as the side. When the rain eased Stu helped me fix the fly and it was good to go. Luckily I had the black foam jig saw mats, keeping me off the wet floor. Slept 'ok'. Up at 5am, packed the car and headed for Bright (5mins). Prepared the bikes and made the start line at 6:15. Ride starts at 6:20. We were told NOT to remain on the main street, we were NOT permitted up the footpath, we were told to go around the back. The result was we started about 17mins after the first riders. Ah well. Cruised up the gap overtaking litterally hunderds of riders. I did not push my speed or heart rate. My Hr was high at 170 but I figrued it was a little bit of excitment and the event itself. Also, my legs felt fine, the lungs were fine and I was not pushing the speed. Descending was fine and easy, though a couple of stupid riders made for some interesting corners. On ward to Falls Creek. Rode happily and comfortably once again. Overtook heaps of riders again, but not as many as the gap. Again Hr was up, but the body felt great so I left it be. Last 3km from the chain gates again pushed my Hr up. I found this section challenging, but doable. It wasn't comfortable. Filled the bottles and sent txt messages at the top then down and onto the gap. I was looking for a good trip up the gap but I found myself lacking a little once I got the right hand sweeper with the grassy cliff on the left hand side. Survived the trip was wasn't happy. I was a little more on the exhausted side than I wanted and actually needed to stop for a few minutes to 'recover'. Into Bright and then to the oval for a check point and more water. Headed back to the car where we sat and had a strech and something to eat and drink. We could have been there for 20-25mins. We were not in a hurry. The ride to the Buff was easy and cruisy, though the temp was now super hot, surely in the low to mid 30s. We started the climb and I just didn't feel comfortable. I was super hot and sweating heaps. I was drinking heaps and now feeling indigestion. It was a little like I had a burp that just wouldn't come up. The road was steep and I was fighting mentally to keep focused to the job. Music was on, but not making any difference. I think I was drained, mentally at least. Bri sent me a text only moments after I was ready to throw it in. Stu was listening to his music and did not hear my call that I taking a rest, there was also another ride behind him which he thought was me. I stopped in the shade and opted to call Bri rather than txt. 'Bri, this is SHIT, what should I do?' I explained how I felt. I was SO close to tears (sign of exhaustion). He explained the course and what the next few ks looked like. He said to ride to the next water point (a few ks up the road), take a break and re-evaluate. DONE. Stu was back and off we went. He was great! He explained practically every corner and the expected incline. It made a huge difference to my attitude and metal state. He even went as far as to explain what riding technique and gear to use to ride the various sections. Heck, he even explain the wind, shade and sun aspects!! There was nothing he didn't know. His talking and explaining meant I know where I was going and what I needed to do. What an AWSOME guide. We made it to the Drink station and I was keen to fill up and keep going. Not long after that the cramps set in. They were EVIL and hurt BIG TIME. While I didn't count how many there were, they seemed to be every 5mins or so. Stu had given me a dose of his Mg based drink and continually told be when and how much drink to have. Several times I sat in the shade streching and massaging in the hope to prevent any more. NOPE. Eventually I found riding out of the seat allowed me to 'ride' through some of the cramps by somehow preventing them from getting worse. Unfortunatley this resulted in me getting cramps in my toes insetead!! What did I have to do? The interesting aspect of all this was that when i was on the bike and riding, I had the base strength to continually overtake other riders (and I was not chasing them, I was honestly riding at a pace which I felt was comfortable). It was the continual cramps which allowed them to pass me, then I'd ride them back again. Clearly my legs had the stenght. Even Stu was impressed. Eventually I had to back the riding speed while out of the seat right off in an attempt to further reduce the reoccuring cramps, this seemed to make some effect. Finally at the top we ate, drank and streched then headed for home. Two minor cramps on the decent then it was just barely any pressure on the peddals to get me home. Any inclines were out of the seat and at this point we were overtaken be several riders. Who cares, at this point I just need to get back to Bright without anymore cramps. Goal achieved! 8Hr 21.44 mins
Then the sickness HIT. I went and sat down and felt sick in the stomach. I stood up and walked around but still felt sick. I finished off the last of my Poweraide. 20mins later, no change. Food and drink were on offer so I went for a look. A cold cup of red cordial and a friut jelly cup. It took me 10mins to get the cordial down and I managed only 2 small spoonfulls of jelly. I just couldn't eat it. Stu ate in a matter of seconds. He was alright. We rode back to the car (I felt good on the bike), stripped off, stood in the stream at the Apex Park and wet myself down. I felt weak all over and light in the head. I was not well. Stu packed the car and we headed back to the camp ground of last night for a 'naughty' shower. I felt weak in the shower, I dry reached a couple of times. Blood pressure was also down. Showerd and dressed we headed back to Bright for fuel. I nearly fainted fillining the car, but got through it. Stu was driving by the way. Off we headed. My state of being was not getting better. My ears were now 'blocked' and when I spoke it felt like I was in a bubble. Not long down the road my head felt tingly as did my hands. I picked up the towel at my feet and violetly through up several times into it. Stu pulled over and rang Helen. It was official, I had a mild dose of heat stroke. Keeping drinking water and get my core body temp down. I got out and walked around and put the towel in a bin (I was not taking it home!) I felt heaps better. I was still a little sick in the stomach, but finally I felt I could take more than a sip of water. We got to the first main servo on the Highway. I filled the car (and nearly fainted due to the change in temp from in the car, 17C to outside 34C. Once done I drove to the carpark and got Stu from McDonalds. He got me a cup of ice. I wrapped it in a towel and put in on the back of my neck. In minutes I was feeling better again. 30mins later I was drinking mouthfulls of water rather than sips, 30mins after that I ate half a peach and from there I was right. Incedible how quickly I recovered once I threw up and got the ice pack on my neck. Even my ears were getting better. By 10:30 I was back to myself. I could eat and drink and felt no sence of illness!! YEA. We arrived back at Stu's house at midnight. I comfortably drove home, ate some milo (which contains Mg - to aid in reducing cramps) and was in bed by 1pm. Over the course of being off the bike I experience cramps in my hands, feet, toes, back and jaw when I yawened! I even got a cramp in my ankle of all places.