The Crap

The wife was sick a few weeks ago...bad. Monkey's been coughing for a week now. I've been being anal about the hand washing, not getting in kids faces or touching slobbery horns, etc.....can't afford to get sick w/ the beginning of the race season here, you know.
It's been for nothing, apparently...
Started feeling less than great yesterday w/ the higher HR and took the day off. Figured that would help the body recovery from the heavy training last week.
Yesterday evening started feeling nauseous and had a bad headache this AM (unusual for me).
Went for a short ride today and felt worse as I went.
Got home and took a shower so we could take Monkey to see sheep getting sheared (see FarmhouseStyle for more) and it just kept feeling worse.
Finally took my temp tonight after laying on the couch all PM and it was 99.5 which is about 2 degrees above normal for me. Got a nasty, raspy cough and the body aches to go w/ it all to boot.
So I guess it's official....I've got The Crap!
Worse part is, that unless it passes VERY QUICKLY, I won't be able to do the 13 hr race we are booked to go camping for next weekend...... :(
UPDATE #1 - Woke up Mon AM after sleeping poorly and felt bad but temp was down to 97.9, which is still high, but better.
UPDATE #2 - Went to work all day...not fun...still feel like crap, but not my normal sinus/sore throat stuff...this is the all-over the body aches. Temp was 98.2 most of this PM.
I'm drugged up and going to bed now...night-night everyone.
PS- heard Sherry has the crap too...sorrrrry :(

Rest...

Up until today I've ridden 7 of the last 8 days w/ 3 in a row at 5 hrs! Whew, I'm tired...

Woke up this AM to an elevated HR and the sound of rain...perfect reason to sleep in...it felt good.

After some home-made biscuits w/ bacon and fresh eggs, Monkey and I loaded up and drove over to Addictive Cycles to swap out some extra parts from the Vassago build-up and to pick up some spare brake pads for next weeks 13 hr race in Augusta. I hope the weather holds up well since it is going to not only be a race for me but a mini vacation for the 3 of us at the beginning of Spring Break.

We'll be taking the pop-up on it's family maiden voyage...I used it by myself at the 6 hr race a few weeks ago, but this will be our first venture out together in it. I'm really hoping Monkey will enjoy the actual camping part...not just the "idea" of it. Hopefully this will be the first of many family trips/adventures together in it!

you gotta be kidding me

I should have known it was going to be an interesting day when I saw this 45 min into my ride today.......

So, let me tell you about my Monday...

I'm doing a 5 day block of training with the intent being 5 days of 5 hours each day....been going good so far.
Today was supposed to be two loops of Winding Stair in the Blue Ridge Wildlife Management Area above Dahlonega. Mostly fire roads w/ lots of climbing at about 5 hours long. Started the ride w/ temps in the mid-30's hoping for low 50's by the end of the ride......HA!!

This picture is of a guy I came upon about half way around on my first loop. He was sitting trying to stay dry/warm as the snow was blowing sideways!!! Argh....it snowed/sleeted on me for the next 30 minutes to the point that the front of me & my bike were covered in snow. Kept going and it slowly started to die off.



After the first 2.5 hours I looped back to where I had stashed a couple of water bottles in the woods...loaded up on more fluids and dropped off my empties. Took off for more pain (and suffering) on the second lap.

Well, sure enough, when I got to the top of Cooper Gap (near the Ranger Camp) it was blowing snow still!

Ended up w/ just shy of 5 hours for the day...mission accomplished.

Two more pics from the day...one speaks for itself and the other....well, we are in north GA!

NEW!

Well, since this blog is new, I thought I'd make my first post about something new to me....
I've been slowly buying the parts for my new single-speed...took almost 4 months to get them all.
On Thursday, Cody from Addictive Cycles (my team sponsor) called and told me that the frame I've been waiting 3 months for had just arrived....a JabberWocky by Vassago in Snuffleupagus Orange w/ a non-matching rigid black fork. It's a 29'er (big wheels) steel frame.....yeah baby!!

I bolted that afternoon from school (Forbes can verify this) over to the shop and took possession immediately. I felt like a little kid :)
When I got home, Monkey & I went to the barn and got it pieced together. I went back over to the shop on Friday and finished getting it together............ and then promptly took it to Chicoppee for its maiden voyage.
I'll report back later after I've been able to tweak the fit a little bit, but I was impressed w/ its lack of big-bike-syndrome (that's a good thing)!
Later....VC