Oops!

11 June 2013
Ride the Rockies, Day 3
Durango to Pagosa Springs
90 miles

Yesterday I had to make a stop at the nurse station, thanks to a little bit of saddle irritation.

My dressing came off during the night, and the nurses had already relocated to Pagosa Springs. We didn't bring our first aid kit. We decided we need to bring a first aid kit whenever we do a multi-day ride.

However, just before I got on my bike this morning, I remembered I do indeed have bandages in my Camelbak. Cookie Monster bandages, Dora the Explorer bandages, Spiderman bandages...

Twice while we've been riding in Waterton Canyon, we've seen little kids wreck. They always want a bandage because bandages make the owie go away. Last time I helped a family whose little kid had scraped up his knee, I thought I should refill my bandages with kid bandages. Because if a regular bandage makes an owie go away, just think what a Strawberry Shortcake bandage will do!

So I put a My Little Pony bandage on the worst of my own owies this morning, with medicated bag balm beneath. The colorful bandage did not make the owie go away, not right away, that is.

One of the blisters popped during my ride. Believe it or not, the "rock in my shorts" feeling actually was easier to tolerate after the blister popped. It was uncomfortable and annoying, but nothing like the pain I experienced last year, riding with an achy wrist after breaking it in March, or riding with a cracked vertebra I didn't know about.

I went to the nurse station to have the popped blister looked at after showering. The nurse couldn't believe I'd finished the ride.

Death before SAG!!!

The nurse said the best thing I can do for it now is open air. Not a problem. She said to do whatever feels okay tomorrow. So I'm planning to ride.

I went to the tent and helped The Lizard finish setting up. It's super windy now, so he tied my shorts to a fence with one of his bandanas. Brilliant! The shorts have to be dry before we pack them so they won't get moldy before we get home.

Even though I had some irritation today, The Lizard says I came in an hour earlier than he expected. He keeps telling me I'm getting stronger. That makes me feel like I can do anything, and that helps me get through difficult things, like having a "rock" in my shorts.

I got to play tour guide today when we passed Chimney Rock. I shared why the landmark is special and where the best photos could be obtained, but I didn't tell other riders about the booboo in the ride guide. There are two Chimney Rocks in Colorado. One is between Montrose and Ridgway, where the original "True Grit" was filmed. The other is between Durango and Pagosa Springs. The ride guide has the wrong one.


Chimney Rock between Montrose and Ridgway


Chimney Rock between Durango and Pagosa Springs
At mile marker 78, a passing cyclist said he could smell Pagosa. I had just passed a long-dead animal on the side of the road, so the "smell" of Pagosa was more than welcome.

At mile marker 80, I got hit by my first powerful gust of predicted high winds that were supposed to hamper us all day. The wind pounded us all night, but the ride today wasn't too windy. Thank heavens!

Twice today I dropped my chain while shifting. So now my fingertips look as though they've been tattooed.

As I pedaled up the final stretch to the Pagosa Springs High School, I passed the post office. So as soon as I found The Lizard, I packed up our dirty clothes and got back on the bike and rode back to the post office to mail the sweaty laundry home. Now packing in the morning will be much easier because we have more space in our bags. Not going to comment on the smell when I get to open that package next week, after it has fermented all week long!

Tonight I stalked a marmot near our tent. The marmot is playing in the grass outside our tent right now. But it's dark, so I'm not taking any more photos.

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