Life has a funny way of showing us that the path we are on is the wrong path, and there is a better way to get to your destination, even if it seems its rather out-of-the-way and a complete bummer! That is what The Spring Ride has been like for me. One "detour" after another. One challenge after another. But I am happy to say, that today, June 18, 2013, I finally completed my 400 miles plus some bonus miles!
This journey is not at all what I had expected. I totally expected to raise awareness and money for The Fuller Center, train to ride 400 miles, travel to Nashville, TN, and ride the 400 miles with a team to Jackson, MS and then fly to my mom's in Florida afterwards. Yes. It was neatly planned complete with plane tickets purchased and money raised. I was ready!
The only hang-up? How do you train in Boise, Idaho for a 400 mile ride that will take place in March? Winter time here means snow and ice. Finally there was a break in the snow and ice. Everything had melted and dried up. Then we got a fresh dusty snow which I thought would be safe to ride on. I headed out to the greenbelt to ride. It was a bit slick in the bumpy areas (I really wish the city would fix those areas, my saddle would appreciate that!) But when it was flat, the dry powdery snow just flew off my tires. It was great. That is until, my tires found a sheet of ice. I was down in an instant and bashed my helmet clad head on the pavement. The next thing I remember was laughing and making sure no one saw me fall. Then I felt the headache and I knew I had a concussion. I got up. Took a picture of where I fell (isn't that what YOU would do?) and for a moment thought about continuing on with my ride. But the Nausea was kicking in. I decided to ride my bike back the mile and a half to my car.
I didn't go to the doctor cause I knew what they would say. "Rest and don't fall asleep unattended for 24 hours" So my husband checked on me all day long over the computer. However, the next day the headache and nausea were still really bad. I was dizzy. My speech was slurred. I could not process thoughts. I had no short term memory; for that matter even my long term memory was having issues. I had loss of fine motor skills. I could not ride in the car without being nauseous. I could not listen to music without getting nauseous. I could not follow a plot line on TV to save my life. All I wanted to do was sleep. A week later, I was still having issues. Back to the doctor I went. I made it very clear to him that I had a Spring Ride to do is 6 weeks weeks and I NEEDED to be better! He referred me to the Brain Injury Clinic. It took them 3 weeks to get me in.
My first day at the Brain Injury Clinic I made it clear to them that I HAD to be better in 3 weeks! They did not look very convinced. They did some testing on me. I saw a speech pathologist for my speech and processing. I saw a hearing and balance doctor for my balance and dizziness issues and I saw a physical therapist for the heavy head feeling. I also had a special head injury doctor who over saw all of this and put me on special meds for the concussion induced insomnia. A week after seeing these doctors, I had a really bad episode of concussion induced insomnia and I passed out and fell backwards slamming my head against the floor. That was when I knew the ride was over. I went to the doctor that day. She confirmed. Not only was I not going to be able to do the Ride but the traveling was out of the question all together. I was not allowed to go to Florida to see my mom and kids. I understood. This concussion was not something to take lightly or something that I could wish away. As it was, I couldn't even drive myself or go to the grocery store or follow recipe instructions. My brain was completely scrambled. All activity was put on hold. No running. No walking. No cycling. No dancing. We had to get this all under control.
As it turned out, the day after we decided I could not do the ride or travel, my mom (in Florida) shattered her hip and needed a hip replacement. I HAD to travel, but I was giving it another week and a half before I travelled and I had to have wheelchairs take me through security and to my gates since my brain could not process these things well enough yet.
While in Florida, I was able to start the "return to sport protocol" which means walking/running again. That felt great. I was doing my brain exercises and starting to remember things a little bit better. I was there for 5 weeks. But once I came home, the symptoms increased and I had emotional amnesia. I knew my family but had no emotional connection to them. I also had a personality change and started liking music I previously could not stand. And I still had short-term memory issues and a hard time counting money (this still continues).
Finally in May, I was cleared to get back on the bike! I was trail running and riding my bike and loving life. I was out on a ride with a Fuller Center team mate, Kurt Schneider, one day when he told me I should start my ride in conjunction with the Summer Ride kick off. I agreed! A few days later, my husband's Uncle Carl passed away. I decided to go ahead with the ride. I rode for 3 straight days before I realized that the early mornings and long days were not conducive to grieving the loss of a loved one. I needed to take some time off to spend with my husband and help him grieve. I needed to get things done.
It is one thing to go away for a ride where there are no family distractions and something completely different to be home planning a 400 mile bike ride where you come home every day and still have to do the mom/wife thing on top of being exhausted and keeping your ride going! Talk about a challenge. There was one day that I was so exhausted on the ride that I didn't think I was gong to make it. I just happened to be near a mountain I had just summited the weekend before. It was a 14 mile 3500 ft elevation gain trail run. It was HARD. I told my girlfriends that I didn't think I would make it, but they cheered me on and I kept going and sure enough I made it! AMAZING! It was so hard and so rewarding. I saw that mountain while I was riding and remembered that if I could do that, anything is possible! One night I was so exhausted and worn out and doubting that I could do this alone and I was crying on my husband's shoulder. His response was, "Martha, once you have set your mind to something you have ALWAYS done it! You've Got this!" I guess he was right.
Not only did I finish this ride, but I also completed my first Century Ride while doing it! I have been wanting to do that for a year now! Not only did I do it, but I felt great afterwards!
Today I completed my 400 (plus) journey with a bittersweet feeling. What's next? I just wanted to keep riding. I took a moment to look over the river and ponder what a change this has made in my life.
I am so grateful to those who have donated to my journey, for the people who have supported me emotionally, and for the physical, mental and emotional strength I have gained from this journey! I feel so close to the team of riders from the Bike Adventures, yet I have never met them! I am grateful that I have been able to make a difference in other people's lives both in the Greater Blessing Program as well as inspiring others to do things they have only dreamed of. Anything is possible! And it is with that thought that I created the following video from the pictures I took along my journey. The song in the background is by Gino and it is called "Possible" (a song that played several times during my ride.)
