I had really looked forward to the Tombstone. I've been trying to ride the freakin' thing for years. I suppose my streak was bound to continue...
I had to DNF after 50 miles. Sure there was wind, rain, cold temperatures (hey, I could have stayed in Minnesota for those in April), but those who have read this blog know that I am way tougher than that. My DNF fate was sealed at dinner the night before the ride. First, there was a pre-ride dinner put on by Susan R, who was running the ride in the abscence of Susan P (Susan is apparently a common name among the randonneuses of Arizona, I know 3). I love a good pre-ride dinner, you get to meet all the people that you may or may not see on the ride. Everyone was having steak (it was at a steakhouse) but I just could not get into the idea of a steak the night before a brevet. So I went for a burger.
It was really very pink looking when it showed up. Lovely hindsight says I should have sent it back, but it tasted okay; I was probably toast on the first bite anyway. We finished up and chatted, several people were doing their first 600ks including a couple of recumbent riders.
This being Arizona of course it was freezing and raining at the start. At least 3 people DNS'd due to lack of rain gear. That's always sad. They were from out of town and it's a long way to come.
I had perfect clothing and a good plan in place. I climbed up Gates Pass feeling fine and got into the first control about quarter to 8. Wasn't hungry, grabbed some chocolate milk and took off right behind another rider who I dont think saw me. I got up Mission Road and felt a little dizzy, but put it down to the winds. As I turned onto Helmet Peak Road, I started getting nauseous and halfway down I had to stop for about 5 minutes as I lost the contents of my stomach on the side
of the road. I got to the Shell station at I19 and lost it again in the bathroom, but felt marginally better. Got some Pepto and sipped some water and got Gatorade figuring I was going to have to soft pedal for a while. I ate a couple of fig newtons too thinking I probably needed to start in with calories too.
About 5 miles up Saghaurita, I lost the pepto and the water I had gotten down. I tried some Gatorade and immediately lost it. At this point, the rain started back up and Ryan, Illyssa and Mark caught up. I must have really looked bad, Ryan stayed while I called for help and suggested I coast back down the hill to the Shell Station. It took an hour of pedaling to get back to it going into the wind. I passed the 2 recumbant riders and was going to wave, but was beset with cramping
and it might have came out more like another gesture (sorry guys).
Susan R gave me directions to a hospital. IronK was trying to see caverns in a park about an our away. I called her sounding absolutely horrible. The response I got at first was a snippy, "it's not a good time, I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow". I was really quite taken aback and came back with something like "gee, puking my guts out on the side of the road in the rain is not really a good time either". Then she paused and profusely apologized. It seems all the throwing up made me sound like my sister (who was coming down the next day and smokes). We all got a big laugh, especially my sister who eventually heard the story and came back with "gee, if I'm ever stuck on the side of the road throwing up I know who not to call!". Needless to say, IronK came to get me post haste and take care of me. Classic salmonella.
Well, this pretty much crushed my confidence. 4 days later, IronK had to have lung surgery for a resurgence of cancer. I still had high hopes of riding again in April, but then I managed to get sick while she was in the hospital. We shall see when I ride again....
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