Riding for a Reason: April 2013

Holy Buhgeezers! Unfortunately, due to my "good" knee, I had to call it quits a little (300 miles) early. BUT, I did make it 500 miles!!!!!!! Woohoo!

     What a trip I had! Stealth camping, sleeping next to Lake Michigan and in HS yards... It was incredible. WI truly is a beautiful state. Even though I am a native, I never realized much of what is/was there simply because, like most of us, I was moving by at 55+ mph, in a hurry to get wherever I was going. So, here was my route:

Day 1: Milwaukee to Harrington State Beach
   Of course, the hardest part of any trip is starting, especially when you're on a bike AND trying to find your way out of an unfamiliar city. Luckily I was leaving from my sister's home, so she gave me directions when I got lost... in the city.
I took a quick break in Port Washington as the day came closer to a close. I sat in the marina with my bike loaded down. It was nice to sit in the shade and hear the waves splashing.
   And, as always, the last mile was on gravel. And, for some reason, I couldn't really find the office for renting a site for the evening (or the sites in general), so I "stealth camped" on Harrington Beach, just off of the water's edge.

Day 2: Harrington State Beach to Manitowoc
      Watching the sunrise over Lake Michigan the next morning was BEAUTIFUL. I charged my phone as a doe and her fawn quietly ate their breakfast by the volleyball courts at the park. Then, it was on the ol' bicycle for another day's worth of cycling!
     It was a bit overcast and humid. It ended up sprinkling a few times--which felt good against my hot skin. Burning the ol' calories! I stopped in Sheboygan to 1) get an additional knee brace [the knee wrap I had was falling apart] 2) grab a java at the Starbucks, violate their bathroom, and use their WiFi 3) Find where Field to Fork was; I had been to their sister restaurant, Il Travolo, but I had wanted to try this restaurant for almost 2 years!
     Field to Fork is a cafe that specializes in utilizing WI grown and cared for produce, cheeses and meats. Oh my GOSH did it taste good! I had a salad with a sesame oil dressing that was great, a hummus and veggie filled wrap that was VERY filling, and a cup of a kielbasa-esque Polish sausage and cabbage soup. Each item was so good in its own way. I needed all of it as I still had to trek up to Manitowoc for the evening and meet my CS host for the evening. So, I hopped back on my wheels and started pedaling. :)
   I reached Manitowoc to see a very cute boy, who ended up being the [upstairs] neighbor of my host. My host came walking around the corner of the house and invited me in very warmly. She was an early 20 something gal with long, curly brown hair, a broad smile, and was a musician as well--so an even bigger bonus!
   She made me a big dinner with all that she had in her cabinets: spaghetti and some pieces of cheddar cheese. It was the sweetest gesture! In return, I made her (and her sister/roommates/neighbors/friends) some espresso chocolate chip scones. They loved 'em! (Was there any doubt that they would?!) That evening, we all chatted, and I brought it up that my knees were bothering me, so I asked if it would be possible if I stayed an extra day just in case I didn't think my knees were up to it. She didn't hesitate to say "of course!" So, I went to bed early and hoped that my knees would be well enough to continue my journey the next morning; not that I wouldn't have loved to stay with my host again, but I didn't want to get behind on my destinations.

Day 3: Manitowoc to Algoma
     Oh boy. This was a long & hot day. Sunny, no clouds, and highway. PHEW! Plus, Google Maps for cyclists SUCK. It happens to tell you to go a certain way down a certain road... which doesn't exist (or is now privately owned by a company that says they'll shoot trespassers--literally). So, luckily, I am a pioneer with maps so I found my way. :)
   I stopped in Kewaunee for a late lunch at a corner cafe. I got some greasy grilled cheese and soup with a pickle. Holy sodium. Oh well, it was fulfilling my caloric needs, right?  By the way, the hill(s) in Kewaunee SUCK. Especially when it's hot!
     As I was searching for a place to eat in Kewaunee, I had seen another biker--a more traditional, skinny man with no gear. I later saw him in Algoma too! We ended up going to the same place for dinner--a little coffee house. During my dinner, I found some campgrounds that where nearby on the ol' web, and set up a campsite reservation at one that was about 2 miles away from the cafe. It was very close to the cycling path I wanted to use the next day, so it was even better! It had a pool (which I utilized... it was still nice and warm from the hot day's sunshine), warm shower, and I charged my phone in a neighboring camper's RV while I ate dinner leftovers and looked over my maps for the next day. Then, sleepy time!

Day 4: Algoma to Peninsula State Park (Fish Creek)
     Looooong day. But well worth it! Again, another hot day. I met quite a few people on the road that were cycling for exercise, and it was neat to have them slow down to chat & then speed away when they needed to move on. So many ladies on bikes--inspirational!
   When I reached my destination in mid-afternoon, I was dripping sweat. The sun was beating down--one of those hot, stale days. I got a campsite, which was the closest set of sites to the park's entrance (I was tired & didn't feel like hoofing it anymore for the day--plus, a storm was coming). I set up camp and watched as the huge thunderheads started rolling in, along with all of the boats. I caught some of it on tape. It was pretty neat! I scurried back to my tent and snacked on snackies as the HUGE storms rolled through. There had to have been a lightning bolt right above my tent a few times--the sound was deafening and it was less than a second between the light and sound (for those of you who don't know, for every three seconds between the light and the thunder it is one mile). It was a bit nerve wracking at times.
   But, as with most violent storms, it passed as quickly as it came. About 45 minutes later, it was just drizzling and much cooler. I ran to the shower, cleaned up, and then went to get a big ol' meal at Judy's Cafe (which is right at the entrance to the park). I had some cherry glazed short ribs, a bowl of vegetarian chili and rice. I ate all of it. And it was delicious. Then, off to bed I went.

Day 5: Peninsula State Park to Sturgeon Bay
     This was a tough day. Because of the storm the previous evening, the sky was clear but VERY windy. I woke to white peaks on the water and clear, blue skies. Any clouds that showcased themselves were quickly whisked away.
   If you've ever been to Fish Creek, you know about the hill(s). There is a gigantic one (or 6) in that area. I had to start my day with one of the hardest hills EVER. I was proud that I didn't have to stop until I reached the top--but, MAN my lungs were burning after that! It definitely got my heart & lungs working early on in the day. Due to this hard work, I stopped at the beach (where a friend of mine actually did a Half IronMan a few years prior) in Egg Harbor and lounged in the sun, on a rock--kind of like a lizard--for a bit.
   I was sideways almost the entire way to Sturgeon Bay. The wind kept me at about a 60% angle, but I was still upright on a baggage laden bicycle! I'm surprised my panniers didn't scrape the ground I was leaning so far over. At least it wasn't a head wind!
   As I rolled into town, I was going to stop at Glas Coffeehouse, which a friend of mine helped start/manage for awhile. Quite literally as I was pulling up, my old voice teacher (whom I had forgotten lived there) as pulling out. I screamed, "Voice Mama!" which is what I had called in when I studied with her. She looked over with amazement, not recognizing me with my newly buzzed hair, and gawked from the driver's seat of her car. She immediately pulled back into the stall and got out of the car to talk to me. I said I was going to "stealth camp" for the evening, and she said, "Let's break down your gear and I'll bring you home with me. So, I took off the wheels & packed my stuff in her car. She bought me a late lunch/dinner & java at the coffee shop, we chatted for a bit (and friend of mine from GB was actually there too; he and a friend were heading up to Peninsula State Park via bicycle, no gear weighing them down, however, and back to GB that night).
   That evening she took me to a play about Florence Foster-Jenkins and to a late dinner. The play was awesome; I giggled so much. I slept next to a big black lab, Cage, that night--or he slept on me, rather. The next morning, I had a good breakfast per my lovely Voice Mama, got a short cut/alternate route from her husband, and then I hit the road for Green Bay.

Day 6: Sturgeon Bay to Green Bay
     I really don't remember much other than it was HOT. I was on busy roads for the end portion of the trip--near the interstate so there wasn't much shade or wind. I took a nap in someone's front yard because it was so darn sunny and hot that day.
     The last 10 miles of the trip always seem the longest. When I finally made it to the northern of the city, I got to go down an enormous hill... it was AWESOME. It is one of those hills you pray to the Lord Almighty that nothing malfunctions on your bicycle because you're going so fast you are bound to end up with broken bones, if not death, if something goes wrong. It was refreshing to speed down it and leisurely finish the last few miles of the trip for that day.
     I was staying at my old roommates new apartment--she was gone for the weekend but left the apartment open to me. A friend of mine from the area came to service my bike, give me HooHah Ride Glide (this stuff is AMAZING! No other chammy cream or butter has worked so well), and take me out to dinner/dessert with another pal of his. It was a great night. And, I got to show off my awesome leg tan lines from my cycling shorts. :D Then, bed time.

Day 7: Green Bay to Marinette
     As I said before, leaving the city is always the hardest--geographically speaking. So many side streets, alternate names for streets, quick turns or veer-offs, etc. But, once you make in out into the country it gets a bit easier. Except, again, if Google Maps for cyclists tells you a road exists and it really doesn't... and your host verifies that it doesn't.
   It was a pleasant day aside from the mapping faux pas. I made it to my host's home, which was a very quaint, beautiful little house on a quiet side street. It had a view of Lake Michigan, a huge back yard which lead to the shoreline.
   My host was a gracious older woman who was an avid touring cyclist herself. I was her first CSer! She made me a very nutritious dinner of steamed veggies, salmon, a hearty salad, and what have you! It was so delicious. Then, before bed we went for a walk to the UW where she works as a PR person for the campus, and she showed me the theatre where the productions are held there. We took a nice walk around the neighborhood and talked about family, alcoholism, and religion--odd combo, I know.
She also gave me a few of her extra cycling maps, which proved to be VERY helpful in the next few days. They were much more accurate and trustworthy in comparison to Google Maps for cyclists! She even helped me find a better way to my rough destination for the next day. I was lulled to sleep by the waves of Lake Michigan spilling onto the shoreline.

Day 8: Marinette to Wabeno
This was the longest day of the entire trip. My host packed me a PB&J, as well as other snacks, before I hit the trail. Despite being the longest, there isn't much of it that I remember because I was so focused on just making it as far as I could go. I didn't have a set destination at the beginning of the day, and chose Wabeno as the day came to a close. And what a day...
The roads, for about 80% of the day, were HORRIBLE. Bumpy, uneven pavement. Hills, with a CAPITAL H. I remember having to walk my bike on one particular hill, about 15 miles away from the end of the trip. It had to have been close to a 45 degree angle... even walking was difficult! And, it was also sprinkling just as I rolled into Wabeno, and rained all through the evening. The rain actually felt good on my hot skin, but sleeping in cool, damp weather has never proved to be good for my knee--which gave out 1.5. days after this.
I set up camp behind the Wabeno HS. It was the only place that I figured I wouldn't get hassled for staying at--I didn't want to go in the cemetery nor someone's yard. So, I unrolled my tent and such & put it underneath the overhang of part of the building, hoping that the rain would flow away from me as much as possible. I broke out my emergency blanket that night just in case, so I knew I'd stay warm, and I'm glad I did. The moisture lets the cold cut right through all of your layers.

Day 9: Wabeno to Rhinelander
It was a rainy day, but it felt good on my awesomely sun-streaked skin. I was a bit chilled in the morning because of the rainy evening. However, you warm up quickly when you're hauling 40 lbs of gear on hilly terrain!
I stopped in Crandon for lunch and to dry off. There was a little cafe that had WiFi, so I sat down and uploaded pictures as I loitered and attempted to dry my socks and such. I drank hot cocoa along with my greasy lunch and realized the the milk didn't hurt my tummy! Apparently, when you're burning calories like crazy, your body--lactose intolerant or not--doesn't care how you get them nor if the foods contain lactose. This was a very reassuring because I was a little leery when I started drinking it, forgetting that it had milk sugars in the packet. But, all was well in my tum tum, and I slurped down the warm, chocolaty delight!
Near the end of the day, the sun came out and it got HOT. My host for the evening was another CouchSurfer. Her family owns a resort in Rhinelander, so I got all of the benefits that come along with that! First, we unrolled my tent so it could dry. Then, I did a load of laundry. Next, we went out on the speed boat, and I watched my host and her friends and family water ski. After that, I had an absolutely delicious dinner--a mushroom stuffed ravioli, which they paired with a marinara sauce rather than the traditional cheese sauce so it wouldn't aggravate my stomach--along with live jazz and great conversation with her aunt, who is a famous artist. It was a great evening. I got to sleep on a bed with Bert & Ernie sheets too. What could be better?!
This day reminded of why I adore CouchSurfing, and will use it as long as I can. I promote this organization wherever I go. I even met my current boyfriend at a mutual CS friend's New Year's party. Great minds think alike.

Day 10: Rhinelander to Minocqua (The last day...)
On this morning, luckily or unluckily for me, a friend of my host was cycling around the area. She was extremely gracious and was willing to let me tag along with her as she was heading in the same direction as I was going for this day's trip. BUT, she was on a road bike with road tires and no gear. Whereas I was on a cyclo-cross bike, with Armadillo skin tires (for on & off road adventures), and about 40 lbs of gear. It was also pretty windy on this day. I kept up as best as I could, but about 1/2 way to Minocqua, she & I parted ways. Man, I worked my lungs (and knee, apparently) that morning!
After she rode off ahead of me, I slowed my pace and just meandered for a bit. I was on back roads, the kind that are all named the same name, like Elk, 16th, Black Bear, etc. Luckily, the maps I had acquired a few days prior were spot on and I pretty easily found my way.
Outside of Minocqua, I saw on the map that there was a trail that I could hop on to take me to the city. I was trying to find the entrance to this blasted thing for about 30 minutes because, according to the map, I was right on top of it. Rather than trying to cross a very busy highway, I got off my bike and lugged it with my gear down a lumpy, tree & stump ridden hill until I reached it. Then, I got on the trail and started blazing. It was so nice, with small, red pea gravel. There were quite a few other cyclists--which I will talk in detail about in another post--out that day.
About 1.2 miles outside of the city, I felt it...
That pinch. An electrical, zinging, sharp pinch over my knee cap...
It was in my good knee, but I knew exactly what it was because I had felt it last year...
I got off my bike, quickly switched my Ace bandage from my previously injured knee to the one that now hurt.
I knew my trip was over, or I risked truly injuring my knee.
So, I walked the rest of the trail to town, paid the due for using it, and sat down to grab a late lunch and call my family to see who could come grab me in the next day or two. My dad was able to pick me up that evening. Before he came, I tried going around the block, hoping that it was just a fluke. But, nope. I couldn't even make it 4 revolutions of my pedals without it hurting. So, I sulked, bought an ice cream cone, and went to unwind in the park.

As I laid in the grass at the park on that last day of the trip, I was so angry and sad. How could this happen? My good knee? Had I done something wrong? How come my bad knee didn't hurt? Then, I realized... I had just cycled 500 miles. Who in my hometown can say that? Especially when they have a previously injured knee? As my dad helped me load my things into the truck, he reminded me of this. 500 miles is nothing to be ashamed of, in spite of me planning on doing 830! It's 499 more than most people cycle in their lifetime, and I plan on doing it every year for the rest of mine.
Now I know:
Moisture and cold air are not good for my knee(s), so I HAVE to keep them warm at night.
I have to wrap both of my knees, no matter what, from the get-go to prevent injury.
I utterly adore CS, and there are incredible people out there--go meet them!
I am making a difference, one mile at a time.

Make a difference in this world, however you can.

Riding for a Reason

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Prepping for RFAR 2013!

My Sister Blog

10 Days, 500 Miles

I love life.