Season 3 Episode 20 End of Adventure Reflections. And Green Bananas!

SOME END OF TRIP REFLECTIONS

For those of you who like numbers, here is a quantitative snapshot to consider:

2,065 miles (vs. 2,035 forecasted) and compared to 2,667 Maine to Florida in 2022, & 2,970 California to Florida in 2021;

104,995’ accumulated elevation gain (sum of Strava counting) vs. 105,780’ forecasted and vs. 70,676’ & 85,070’ past 2 years. (And since we started at sea level in Vancouver and ended at sea level in San Diego, I would guess also 104,995’ of descent,)

So as described in the opening blog, the greater climbing total over fewer miles meant much more climbing per day.

56 miles per riding day average, in line with 55 forecasted and happily by design less than past years (72 & 65 averages)

43.2 miles per hour – maximum speed achieved. It was on 10/18 on a long descent, late in the day towards Aptos, CA. On the next day I learned I needed to replace rear brake pads that were shot – yikes.

37 riding days

30 nights in hotels and Airbnb’s.

9 guest riders – Zach, Sam, Stu, Jacob, Craig, Susan, Ken, Damian, Martin

8 pounds lost by Mark. (“See Ya Sugar” detox at work!) Heather returned unchanged.

6 nights with “Warm Showers”, and 6 nights at friends (or friends of friends, who are now our friends too!)

4 rest days spread out – right on plan.

3 (ONLY 3!) ice creams: Tillamook tasting bonanza, plus Salt & Straw twice (our introduction in Atherton and my craving to celebrate in San Diego about 8 hours before we flew home). 

2 falls - one for each of us.

1 dog chase - each of us pursued by the same dog about 5 minutes apart – we each won that race – this time!

0 flat tires for either of us!! – our daily prayers were heard and Schwalbe Marathon makes a great tire!

And some more qualitative reflections:

I LOVE AND APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS that came to the blog! I apologize if I did not reply to you individually. I appreciated every single one.

Here is one comment that came as a question that I will happily reply to here for the benefit of all our readers. The comment was: “I can't believe you two don’t fight more that you share on those blogs. Heather, really?”  Sounds like a savvy reader knows better than to just trust my narrative, and is appealing to Heather for the unvarnished truth.

After our 2021 ride, I commented that Heather and I only had 2 big arguments, and which is certainly fewer than we would have at home in the same time period. As an aside, when we came home and visited her parents that fall and shared that item, my father-in-law replied wryly: “yeah, the first argument lasted 2 weeks, and the second one lasted 3 weeks”. Happily, that was not the case.

And now, sorry to disappoint those who cannot believe it, in 2023 we didn’t have any arguments. Yeah, that shocks me as much as you, as no arguments over a 6 weeks period is far less than at home! Somehow, we are each a better version of ourselves on the road – more relaxed and healthier. I guess third time is the charm, and I designed a better itinerary with less early trip climbing and with an hour less riding a day; Heather would say I figured out how to pack up quicker each day with my use of packing cubes. It helped that my saddle-sore woes of past years were exactly that- woes of the past.

We also both wisely deployed the recently acquired marital tool named the “do-over”!  What is the “do-over”, you ask? At a wedding we attended in July, the father of the bride, our good friend Kevin, offered advice to his daughter and new son-in-law in his speech. He explained that one of the keys to his 32 years of happy marriage was that each of the partners was allowed one “do-over” a day. That is with no questions asked, no argument nor judgement, you can take back something you said that was harsh or insensitive and apt to cause issues. You can pull it back, and start over and not get bogged down in the harm it would have caused. It’s a fresh start. You only get one per day. Kevin explained in 32 years of marriage he has likely used 9,000 do-overs, and his wife has only used one. Well, Heather and I have embraced the do-over ever since, and highly endorse it.

When I reflect back on the 6 weeks from our flight to Vancouver on September 18 to our return to NY on October 31, there are many memories and themes.

There was scenic beauty with top of mind being the following (not in any particular ranking order):

Rugged coastline of southern Oregon (and could easily say the coastline of Mendocino County, CA)

Towering Redwoods on the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, and on Avenue of the Giants – both in Northern, CA

Waterways around the San Juan Islands

Views climbing up to Big Sur

Sunsets where the sun drops into the Pacific horizon like an orange ping pong ball falling off a table – and precisely at the exact minute forecast.

There were loads of fun laughs and excitement!

Discovering that I am a Dominant Super Taster (25% of the population) at the exclusive, honorary Tillamook taste bud ice cream experience! (BTW, it’s a real thing- you can google this supertaster gene.)

They even gave me swag (ceramic cone) that I rode with for more than 3 weeks (despite its added weight) and safely brought home without chipping or cracking.

There was accomplishment from overcoming challenges and adversity: We climbed more per day than previous trips.

Heather rode through an allergic reaction, and on another day a bout of dehydration. We were undeterred by obstacles and carried our bikes over fences, through trees fallen across our path, and under barrier gates. 

We rode through both wetter and colder conditions than we anticipated and prepared for. This was a growth moment for me.  After only 4 days at home, although it was low 50s, I went for a ride knowing now I can enjoy it and previously I would not have done so.

There was discovery & personal growth. Mostly from the personal interactions. From our hosts – both Warm Showers and friends. From our first night in Vancouver when we had discussions with our old friend about indigenous communities, to staying for the first time with a military family – we considered new perspectives. We stayed with a family with 3 young kids to our oldest host, a 98-year-old WW II vet who reminded us of the role luck plays in any of this thing called life. And then there are the random interactions while riding. At a traffic stop for construction, we would be roadside chatting with a crew member who is there all day holding a sign with ‘slow” written on one side and “stop” on the other. And chatting with the pastor who approached us and blessed us at lunch. So many different perspectives including many strangers who talk with us at a hotel breakfast.

Meeting and learning from Chris, a Board Member of the Reeve Foundation, a finance professional, husband, father of 3 and athlete.

Meeting National champion and Paralympian athlete Steven from the Challenged Athletes Foundation that has received grants from the Reeve Foundation.

We continue to be asked how each of our 3 cross-country rides stack up against each other and how they compare? Last year, I thought it was a difficult question to compare the two at the time, it seemed like comparing children. Something wisely not done. It still feels a bit like that. This adventure was challenging and taxing but we quickly knew we could finish it barring bad luck beyond our control. As mentioned, I was spared the major and ongoing saddle-sore issues of past years. While I acknowledged them in the past years’ blogs, I never quite revealed how severe and problematic they were and how much they disrupted those trips. This adventure was significantly easier and more enjoyable without those issues. We both enjoyed the scenic aspect most of this trip, and it had the friendliest cycling culture - the bike paths and lanes, signs, and driver respect.

When we returned from the first trip, I was definitely in a depressed state temporarily. I was like that child returning from summer camp so sad to be home, missing the magic of camp. It took me over a month to return to being myself. Last year, after the Atlantic Coast ride, I was also in a bit of a funk, but was quicker to snap back. This year, so far has been far different. I definitely had a letdown and some sadness in our final day, but being home has been far more positive. Maybe I needed to return to our community more this year? I think we also came back excited and looking forward to attending the Reeve Foundation gala - which was this past Friday night. It is a very special community to us and felt like a family welcoming. And maybe it is with awareness of how I felt last year, I set myself up for an 8-day road trip starting yesterday (less than a week after returning). But this trip is on 4 wheels by car (minivan to be more precise), not on 2 wheels just yet.

If I had to choose a single overarching word for how we feel, it is GRATEFUL!  We are full of thanks for so much:

• Our good health that we could wake up each day and ride.
• Our adult children Sydney, Jamie & Matt support our rides and cheerlead us.
• Sydney receives emails from me with text and photos and captions and somehow makes it all appear in this nice reader friendly format.
• Our families enjoy good health that we could be away for an extended period.
• We could afford to take this time away.
• We were accepted into the homes of friends, strangers and in a few cases trusted with their home with them absent.
• Ciaran, a stranger who gave us his car for an evening.
• The love and support we received from our family and friends. Thank you to everybody who encouraged and supported us at any stage. Each email of support, comment on the blog, kudos on Strava, word of kindness.
• We also received loving support from strangers who now feel like friends. An example: This is one comment from a woman who first encountered us 2 years ago in a rest area in the desert in Arizona where we were sprawled out resting and hydrating. She remains in touch and recently commented: “CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Sometimes it's so intense reading your adventure and i'm not the one on the bike, but could feel the emotion of the trip...you two are just amazing and i'm grateful to have met you and follow your blog....yikes...no more blogs...God bless you two as life takes you on other adventures in the future.... sending BIG hugs from az.... geri”
• Our community at home – which we missed more this year and have been so happy to return to.
• Our new and growing family- the Warm Showers hosts and guests who enlighten us.
• The 9 guest riders (mentioned by name above) who lifted our spirits by your presence.
• Ken - for that phone call in Spring 2021 that instilled the confidence in us to try this on our own and ride self-supported.
• Adrian, Andrew & Joelle at our local bike shop, 10538 Bicycles - for getting our bikes trip ready, and for sourcing gear and being a sounding board to us and helping us believe.
• Lenny and Ernie who inspired us initially and continue to inspire us by the example of how they live positively with the ongoing adversity of their paralysis. You helped us get through some wet and cold days and long climbs.
• The Reeve Foundation – I am not sure if we help you with your fundraising more than you help us by the community you have welcomed us into and the purpose you have added to our rides.
• The generosity of so many of you! Family, friends and yes strangers to us have donated over $31,300 (plus some unreported gifts and Matching gifts still to come) to the Reeve Foundation to help care for and cure spinal cord injuries. Donations may still be made here.

Visiting Ernie in Miami on our 2022 Atlantic Coast Ride

In the gratitude department, I have 2 more reflections:

Firstly, as I have shared in a previous blog, we are both so grateful for the many hard workers we admired up close in various stages of farming - plowing, irrigating, driving trucks, harvesting, packing, putting canopies up or taking them down, etc. With our cycling perspective and slower pace, we know their faces. We are filled with gratitude for our fresh produce. When I took the “See Ya Sugar” detox program, I discussed with Jen that I know I eat too fast and should eat slower. But that is easier said than done. I asked how do I do so? Her reply included the tip to pause first and give thanks to all who helped bring that food to our plate. I now really get it and have the visuals for this exercise.    

And now lastly to Heather – I come up with some pretty crazy ideas – and you are there beside me – pedaling right alongside me. Okay - to be honest, 80% of the time you are pedaling ahead of me. I’ve done my best to keep up with you for 31 years and still cannot. So, thank you for stopping to wait for me – even if when I get there you are on your phone emailing or texting and looking bored while waiting for me and making me feel inferior. And thank you for sometimes circling back seeming to be worried – even when you are really wondering what the hell is taking me so long. I still have a voicemail saved on my phone from 2 years ago after our first cross country ride, from a friend who said: “I really envy the fact that you have been able to carve out time and actually have the discipline and the muscular strength and fitness to actually do that … and to have a relationship with your wife that allows you to do that. You have a lot of gifts there my friend.” How lucky indeed I am for our relationship.

And finally, I close with this short note that I received from a reader just a few days ago once we were home that brings us full circle back to our initial impetus to SHIFT GEARS over 3 years ago.

“Heather/Mark:

I’m in the process of cleaning out old emails which gave me the opportunity to re-read a few of your blogs. I cannot help but get excited again at how spectacular your cycling adventures must be! Notwithstanding the effort required. And where is your next trip? I can hardly wait! But don’t wait too long. I’m a few months shy of age 95 and at that age I don’t buy green bananas.”

Can there be any more poignant reminder that the greatest gift we receive is the relatively short time we each have on earth and to use this gift well? Maybe those traffic sign commands to SLOW and STOP are meant for living, not just for driving.

Thank you all for reading along. As in my last entry, if you were in any way entertained, educated, provoked to think in a new way, inspired or amused by my blog- I ask that if you haven’t yet donated to the Reeve Foundation, please consider a gift in appreciation.

A la prochaine – Until the next time.

Mark

© Copyright Mark Segal 2023