We're biking across the United States to raise money for Gallaudet University's Personal Discovery Program, a 501(c)3 charity. If this is your first visit, please read our welcome page and how you can help page.

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Sick, sick, sick

Red Lake, AZ to Valle, AZ
19 miles

Since I'm still sick, we're still taking things slow. I'm starting to get sick of this. I'm sick of biking all day long. I'm sick of setting up camp every night. I'm sick of stuffing myself so full, I can feel the pasta wiggling in my esophagus. I'm sick of rice and beans every night for dinner (and my butt is sick of it too). Someone told us that after the first week, it's 10% physical, and 90% mental. I believe it. 10% of my body is sore, and my mind says the other 90% is sore too!

I made a makeshift toilet paper dispenser on my handlebar bag so that I have tissues handy when I need to blow my nose. I also have a handkerchief around my neck, and I call call it the "snot catcher". It really does wonders, but at the end of the day when I wash it out, it's pretty nasty.

We met a guy that really made us feel like wimps... This guy from Germany is walking across the US. He averages about 20 miles a day. I hope Dana doesn't get any ideas from him. He also recommended that we bike in Europe for 3 reasons: Towns are more frequent (every 3 miles), the wine is better, and the bread is better. Since we don't drink that much, that only gives us 2 reasons. I really hope Dana didn't get any ideas from this guy.

We're staying at the Flintstones campground tonight. We visited the gift shop, where they sell Flintstones everything, except the Flintstones vitamins. Go figure.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

No flinstone vitamins?? What ARE they thinking?!

Anonymous said...

Heather: we are with you in spirit. Let us know if you need anything. Care package on its way tomorrow to Colorado. Signs, jerky, dried fruit and nuts. Call or email us if you need something special in it. Love, m&d

Anonymous said...

Hi there. I've been following your storyblog from time to time and i wanted you to know.

What you've both set out to do is sort of like being on a "hero's journey." The feelings you're having right now puts you right smack in "the belly of the whale" phase.

You feel like you want to give up. You question what you're doing this for in the first place. Recognize that this is the place you are in and honor it. But keep moving forward.

I remember when I was a mom in labor for the first time. I reached that point where I was telling everyone to just do a C-section! I didn't want to do this anymore. I couldn't do it. I wanted to give up!

My mother, who is a nurse, and who was with me in the back of the room at the time, slowly moved forward, leaned down near me where I could read her lips, and she simply said the word: "Transition." She wiped my brow and moved back to the wall where she kept her vigil while my husband and the doctor assisted me with the delivery of our son.

When my mom said that word: "transition," I understood what she was communicating. I was moving from one stage of labor into another. I was in the belly of the whale. I found myself there on the threshold with a decision to bail out or trudge forward.

Her words gave me a new sense of clarity, which I'm hoping these words will do for both of you. I gained a new fervor and rolled my sleeves up so-to-speak and got serious about pushing this little starflake from my belly.

Pah! When our son arrived, the first words out of my mouth were: "I did it!!" I had a tremendous feeling of accomplishment, having made it through that really hard transition. My journey (labor) like your journey (biking) was and will be productive.

Just keep on keeping on! We're cheering you on from the back of the room here in cyberspace!

Thanks for sharing your adventure!

~ LaRonda
www.earofmyheart.com