Temperatures peaked at 92 degrees today, but it was not yet as humid as Friday and Saturday would prove to be. I was dying to take a shower and change out of my bike clothes. So, after checking in my bike and retrieving my gear from the truck, I looked for the shuttle to the motel. From previous rides, Michael knew that this particular school did not have air conditioning in the gym, so we opted to get a motel room for Thursday night. However, I had missed the earlier shuttles to the motel and would not have another opportunity to catch one until 9:00 P.M. So, with time on my hands, I decided it was best to eat first. We had grilled foods under a large tent waiting for us: hamburgers, hotdogs, brats and chicken breasts with all the fixin's. I had a brat, some potato salad and baked beans. Such simple fare never tasted so good.
At 7:00, we had a ride rundown and then Twin Cities cabaret performer Erin Schwab entertained the troops with witty banter and clever songs. But I was more interested in the chiropractic and massage services that were being offered in the gym. My right knee was bothering me again, as it had on previous training rides, and I thought maybe a massage or chiro could help. Having not yet showered, I felt sticky and gross and didn't want the chiropractor working on me in that condition. It was still nearly an hour and a half for the next shuttle to the motel, so I opted for a shower in the gym. Feeling somewhat refreshed by my shower, I sat in line and waited my turn for the chiropractor. When it came my turn, the very cute Dr. Wally looked at my knee and knew instantly what was wrong. I can't remember all the technical stuff, but in a nutshell, the muscles supporting my patella were not very strong and other muscles were compensating. He worked on it a bit and gave me a couple of exercises to strengthen the knee for next year. I didn't feel immediate relief, but the next day my knee felt great!
Day 2 - Lake City to Rochester
Day two allowed a shortcut so we less experienced riders wouldn't have to suffer as many hills. Because of the heat the previous day, and the forecast for this day, I saw many experienced riders taking the shortcut as well. The shortcut essentially bypassed the first two pit stops and took us directly to Pit Stop Three. The only drawback to the shortcut was the nearly 2-mile hill at the very beginning. However, it was still somewhat cool in the morning and the road was mostly shaded.
Lake City along Lake Pepin.
Pit Stop Three - West Albany, MN (Not sure of the mileage due to the shortcut, but I believe it was approximately 16 miles)
I don't remember the theme at this pit, but it was in a lovely wooded area next to a beautiful old church. Luckily, an Erik's tech guy was there to fix my spoke. It seemed to take him nearly an hour, though, to do so. I had to pee three times while waiting for my bike... a good sign that I was staying well hydrated.
Pit Stop Four/Lunch - Elgin, MN (apprx. 32 miles)
The first half of the ride to pit four was gorgeous. Gently curving, wooded country roads... mostly downhill. But mid way we began to lose the shade trees and found ourselves, once again, riding through corn fields. Temps were in the low 90s with a heat index in the high 90s. Being exposed to the sun riding through those corn fields was like what Superman must have felt when exposed to kryptonite. It completely zapped all my energy and strength. But I made it into lunch and, thanks to the shortcut, at a reasonable time. The pit's theme was the circus and they had costumes reminiscent of the old circus freaks... and one person in a particularly clever costume as a kissing booth.
Another sandwich, pasta salad, and a refill of my camelback, and I was [somewhat] set to go. My energy, though, was very low compared to the first day. The heat was just overpowering. It was no more than about 2 or 3 miles out of Pit Four that my legs felt like they just couldn't go any further. I pulled over to the side of the road and began to look for a shady spot. Before I could find relief, I began to feel nauseous. Fortunately, a rider with a cell phone happened to stop to ask how I was doing. When I said, "I think I'm finished for the day," he called for a sweep vehicle. It turned out this nice gentleman was a sports-medicine doctor. He took my pulse, asked me a few questions and determined I had "heat distress." He sat me down in the grass and wet a bandana with ice water and told me to hold it on the back of my neck to cool down. Soon, the sweep vehicle arrived and took me to the First Aid tent back at Pit Four. First Aid had me lay down with ice packs on my feet, behind my neck, in my crotch and under my arms. Ooooh, did that feel great! Dr. Kris took my blood pressure and temp and ruled out heat stroke. However, they did take me off the ride for the day and I took the shuttle into camp--bypassing Pit Five. My bike's odometer showed that I only rode 35 miles that day. What a let down after a successful 85 miles the previous day.