6/27/2022 0 Comments High hopes for NebraskaI definitely had high hopes for Nebraska. My ride from Waubonsie State Park in Iowa to my cousin’s house in Lincoln Nebraska was largely uneventful. I crossed the Missouri River for the final time on bicycle. I took a picture with the “Welcome to Nebraska” sign. Biked on another busy road. Temperature wasn’t too hot. Legs felt good. Went on a detour with no detour signs. Made it to Kayla’s before she had to go to work. It was awesome seeing Kayla again. I planned to take a rest day in Lincoln to get my bike into a bike shop, hang out with my cousin, rest my legs, and plan the rest of my route. I took my bike, dear Rory, into Cycle Works in Lincoln for a much-needed new tire and derailleur adjustment. My standards for bike shops are pretty low – and this bike shop was very cool. The guys in the shop were super helpful. Immediately they gave me multiple rear gravel tires to choose from – and before I knew it my bike was getting work done. I took this time to walk around the bike shop and look at all the expensive bikes and gear. There was a pink women’s salsa gravel bike that sparked my interest. The price tag made me cough. It was $5,500. It was a beautiful bike, but I’m not sure if I could ever justify spending that much on a bike. As I buy new/used outdoor gear as needed, I’m trying to get my items as colorful and obnoxious as possible. There were bright colored flat pedals. They were awesome. When Kayla got home, we visited the bison bison at Pioneers Park. We said hi to the bison and told them what we’ve been up to. Nebraska heat is no joke. On my rest day, I was getting messages from concerned friends and family regarding the Nebraska and general out west heat of the Colorado/Wyoming/Idaho area. I took their concerns into consideration, determined to make my way to Oregon. As I planned my route across Nebraska, I stuck to the side roads next to I-80 where there were campgrounds, gas stations, and people. I planned shorter days, because even though it’s flat, it’s super hot. - - - spoiler alert: tw: blood & road rash - - - (press the read more button below) First full day riding in Nebraska: I leave Kayla’s house in the middle of the day (mistake numero uno). And it wouldn’t be an Eryn story if I also told you I probably didn’t drink enough water (mistake numero dos). With a snazzy new blue rear tire, I head west. I make it maybe 2 minutes away from Kayla’s when I get to a bike path. Truth be told, I was not paying the best attention, or I was paying too much attention. I don’t know. Anyways, it rolled like this: a guy passed me on my left, I startled and moved to the right, too far to the right, got onto the grass, tried to get back on the pavement, but the lip was too much and I toppled. No one saw me actually fall, but there were still a lot of people around. A small scrape on my left elbow and a two point road rash on my left knee and shin. Picked myself up, brushed myself off, and walked my bike to a picnic table to chill for a second. Took an alcohol wipe to my leg & elbow. Drank some water. Continued on my way. Making my way west and planning on stopping at a gas station, and then another one 10 miles out, and then I’d be at the campground. It was hot. No shade. Long road in front of me. I see a little bit of shade and there’s creeping doubt in my mind that I won’t make it to my planned campground for the night. It’s too hot, I can’t handle the hot temperatures, and I don’t want to die from heat exhaustion or heat stroke. I stand with my bike in the shade, eating a snack, drinking water, and reviewing my options. Looking back, I know I was worse off than I was. It always happens. My vision blurs and black creeps into sight. I immediately know this is the recipe for passing out, and I do my best to calm myself down and get myself off my bike. I don’t pass out, but it felt close. That seals the deal – I’m going to call Kayla to come pick me up and try again tomorrow. Unrolling my sleeping pad, I chill in the shade, and prepare my bike to be put in a vehicle. Back in Kayla’s AC I cooled down in a timely manner, took a shower, cleaned my road rash. Ordered pizza and breadsticks for dinner, snack, and breakfast the next morning – carb loading for the following day. Second Day attempting to ride in Nebraska: We make plans to try again to the campground. It’s roughly 30 miles to the campground from where Kayla picked me up, and she’s willing to drop me off at any time in the morning. We left at 5:15am, got there by 5:40ish, and I was on the road 10 minutes later. The plan was to crank out 30 miles in the early morning before the sun was the harshest, and it was off to a good start. Five miles in, at 6:15am I make a short detour to a gas station for ice in my bottles. After reviewing my route on google maps, I continue on and head on a gravel road. I have loads of experience on gravel roads and trails, so I thought this would be no different. Oh, how was I wrong. What I didn’t take into consideration was a) small gravel tires, b) 50lbs of added weight, c) two (2) inches of loose pea gravel, and d) the hill. And if you haven’t guessed it already, I crashed again. A much worse crash than the previous day’s on pavement. To make things worse, I once again fell on my left side, creating a bigger road rash spot than was previously there on my leg. Instantaneous blood all the way to my lucky Michigan bike sock. Throbbing pain in my left elbow and throughout my left shoulder and left side of my back. *shoots finger guns* yayyyy. There’s no use trying to hold back tears and my rage. It’s 6:20am, I’m alone, it’s getting hot, I crashed again, my road rash HURTS, and I don’t know what to do. I scream. I scream to the cows and the big sky and shoots of corn and the sounds of trucks going up and down the interstate a quarter mile away. Still sobbing, I attempt to call someone on my garmin close contacts list. I’m in CST. Most of them are in EST. Thankfully some of them are early risers. I get a friend on the phone and share my immense pain with them and cry and laugh some more while walking my bike back to the same gas station I just got ice from. Luckily this is not a sketchy gas station that’s in the middle of nowhere. It’s a nice one. From a fly on the wall perspective, it must have been sort of funny to see me walk back in less than 20 minutes later with dirt and debris and blood running down my leg, tears, talking on the phone, and making a beeline for the bathroom. My life is a movie. This road rash is road rash and it hurts so much. I take a wet paper towel to my abrasion to get as much dirt as possible out. (still on the phone with a friend, who’s calmly trying to find me a route with pavement) Finally, I use my big brain and sit on the counter top and place my open wound under the tap. It’s not bleeding anymore, and most of the dirt is out. I ask the gas station employees for an alcohol wipe and Neosporin. Finally calmed down enough, I go back out to my bike and sit on the curb. I call another friend and we talk though my next steps. My immediate next steps are to get my bike ready to be put in a vehicle. I texted Kayla and she agreed to pick me up around 9am. A full day’s worth of activities before 10am.
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Author: Eryn corinthCyclist. Feminist. Outdoor enthusiast. Tree hugger. Archives
October 2022
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