Biking for MS: Day 6: Bread Loaf Mountain climb into Middlebury, VT

We awoke in the community center nearly 30 minutes later than usual - all of 6am instead of 530am! There were almost no early birds on the TransAm ride last year, so this has been quite the change. As mellow as this group is, they really love to just get up and tackle the miles. Hard core! Someone from the local community in East Thetford had made us something like 4 or 5 dozen donuts and sent along maple cream (similar to icing) to top them with! So delicious! We delayed heading out so that we could present Meg with the Bike the US for MS Silver Award for her repeatedly amazing hospitality when the Northern Tier riders come through town each year on June 1st. It was a very special moment. Check out the video here.

Since I had taken the previous day off to rest my sciatic nerve, my bike needed a fresh chain lube from all the rain it had been put through on top of the van. As usual, I was one of the last ones to depart from camp, but oddly, never later than the time we are supposed to depart by. I'm just not an early bird. :) Stefanie and I had a nice ride out of East Thetford, VT with some lovely scenery to the first rest stop in South Royalton, VT. It was chilly and misty, so I was bundled in multiple layers and my rain jacket. Our stop was in a cute little town where I got homemade chicken soup and a banana at a local market. It warmed me right up!

After leaving this rest stop, I wasn't more than 5 minutes of out town when I heard a strange squeaking sound and it was to the tune of a flat front tire. So, I pulled over and two of the other riders, Al and Gayle, kindly pulled over to offer assistance, as well. It was a pretty easy and quick tube change, and I was happy i had changed a tire the previous day and was fresh on my skills. Seeing as this tube had already been patched 2 or 3 times, I wasn't surprised it had a flat. I used my Air Kiss CO2 cartridge to fill the tire, but later discovered I only let it fill the tire half full. It seemed ok while riding another 15 miles on it, with a significant hill climb included. I was lucky to not get another pinch flat riding on it that way.

Our 2nd rest stop of the day was in another cute, little town called Rochester. By this time, my sciatic nerve was feeling more pinched and my knee was really starting to ache. I decided to see if I was ambidextrous and unclip with the other foot than I usually do. It turns out I'm not podiatrically ambidextrous when it comes to actually stopping and being able to put my free foot on the ground. Unclipping was not the problem, but correct balance was. So, I went injured-sciatic nerve-first into the pavement right next to a bunch of riders. So graceful. It felt kind of nice, in a sick way perhaps, to have such direct pressure on the pain point. I'm alright, just have a fresh bruise to match the other "cheek" from a few weeks ago.

Once dusting myself off and straightening out of my crooked seat, I ate delicious French toast (with pure VT maple syrup of course!) and drank a bottle of milk at a local bakery. When the massive plate of food came out, I wasn't sure if this was the correct choice before climbing Bread Loaf Mountain, which was a 2-3 mile climb at 12% grade. Oh well, I certainly wasn't going to NOT eat it.

Once again, last out of the rest stop, I stripped out of my rain jacket, gloves, sunglasses and hat (all items that could cause me to pour sweat on such a mountain climb) and off I went. I wasn't exactly sure when the climb officially began, but I felt strong, like I had adrenaline and maple syrup fueling my veins. I surprised myself and caught up to a number of riders, reaching the summit with others I don't normally get to ride with. We took photos of our achievement and then were immediately passed by the men's Olympic biathlon team who were training on the same mountain and looked way more badass. So, to keep my adrenaline going, I got on my bike and hit 40 mph riding down the other side of the mountain at a 15% grade. I pedaled so hard, but forgot it was actually a 15 mile ride to camp. I felt great and crushed that day of biking, but I think part of my success was due to knowing it was my last day, as well as 6 pills of ibuprofen to get me through the day.

We stayed at a local sports facility in a building called The Warming Hut in Middlebury, VT. It was smaller than the previous night's community center and then we found out there was no hot water for showers, so 27 stinky people were packed in a small room. It smelled anything but lovely.

My parents arrived just in time to see me come into the parking lot on my bike, but yet they didn't even recognize me in my cycling gear. They let me use the shower in their hotel room, thankfully. After my first hot shower in about 3 days, it sure did make me sleepy. And then the ibuprofen began to wear off.

We met most of the group at the popular, local Two Brothers Tavern and the night evolved into karaoke and fun times together. The next day was a rest day, so nobody was anxious to get to bed, despite the exhaustion. I lost my ID somewhere in the mountains, probably stolen by a moose, so I didn't get to go to the bar. Ibstead, I met others back at camp and Mr. Sandman and full leg pain hit me pretty hard. I barely slept for the 6 hours I layed on my sleeping pad on the floor and winced with pain any time I turned over. As sad as I am to leave tomorrow, my body is ok with taking time to heal and I can't wait to come back healed and stronger when I meet the group in 8 weeks in Washington state for more mountains!

Anytime I've had this pinched nerve pain while riding, I always think back to the rider pledge we signed where one of the lines says, "Before I complain about feeling tired, hurt, or dirty, I will think of the millions of people living with MS and the struggle they go through each day." And then I do my best to press on through the ride in honor of all of those I've spent this week riding for.