New Rider on The Trip of a Lifetime
I'm a really new rider. I've been a Fender Bunny for many years of my life, but as a solo rider, I don't even have 500 miles under my belt yet. And in a little over a month, I'm leaving for a cross-country ride.
People say I'm crazy. As a beauty queen, ex-school-carpool-driving-soccer-Mom, perfectly-coiffed, hairspray-lipstick-loving, prissy girl, battling Fibromyalgia (a chronic pain disorder), most friends wish me well, but have their doubts. They physical pain I am in is a daily battle. Perpetual numbness, stabbing pain, aches, inflammation, hot packs, ice packs, numbing creams, muscle relaxers, massages, chiropractors, wrist and knee braces and occasionally pain meds are all a part of my daily life. I avoid many foods as they complicate my issues, take herbal supplements, exercise and drink gallons of water to help with my overall health. These naysayers are secretly betting I won't make it a month.
And their opinions don't mean dick to me because I'm determined to do this.
I've figured out that I'm in pain daily, whether I'm doing anything physical or not. I would rather be out doing something, seeing America, than lying around nursing this pain. The more I think about it, the more it hurts. So getting busy seems like a great idea to me.
Couple that with the fact that I have little experience and I'm sure this seems like a huge challenge I'm facing. . . at least it seems that way to others. To me, it's just next on my list. I've made up my mind that I'm doing this because I want to do this, so it will happen.
I took my second over-100-mile ride yesterday with my hubs and stayed the night in a lovely hotel, leaving today to ride back home. It was the best ride I've ever taken, by far. Yes, I had a great deal of pain, but that will get better as I build those muscles. One can't really build the muscles one needs to ride until they do so. So out I go, adding miles to each ride, gaining strength, experience and endurance.
The one thing that keeps me going is my Father's spirit who has visited me in my dreams. He rode his entire adult life, dying at the age of 50. His spirit calls me to the road, to find what he found, and more; my own trail, my own path, my own calling. You could say I'm in a pickle of sorts. On the outside, it looks like this is something I can't do. On the inside, I have no doubt that this is my destiny.
My own Road Pickle.
Ride on sister
ReplyDeletePain is a tough go for a lot of people. I've walked and ridden with the last three vertebrae each 25% dislocated from the one below it since 1981. So, I have a mite of experience with that chronic stuff.
ReplyDeleteYou deal with it however you have to. The worst is all the people who tell you to "Get over it"... arrrrrrrgggggghhhhhh! ;)
My only "cure" was/is to train my brain to ignore it (as best I can)the more good/uplifting input I can stuff into my brain seems to make the chore easier.
Being as small as it is, if I can keep it busy with the good stuff it don't have the room left to be jabbin' me! ;)
Don't listen to those nay sayers. Most of the ones who express their "doubts" are really saying; "I can't do it". So... to make themselves feel better they have to put you down and stop you if they can; so that they don't shine a light illuminating their own failure to live.
Ride far. Polish the life you have and make it shine!
Safe, smooth riding and all the best!
ReplyDeleteSash:
ReplyDeleteI think that people just don't understand. It's not always about just getting there, it's about the riding experience, the curves (twisties), the crank of the throttle, changing the gears, the sounds of your exhaust, the smell of the trees . . . You are willing to bear your pain just to experience "living and life" on the edge . . . you and your machine
My journey is less ambitious than yours but people that don't understand just say " why don't you ship it there ? "
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
It was a pleasure meeting you this morning at the hotel lobby. I thought of offering you my truck to head out into the cold in but "two wheels and a freakin seat" sounds like the way to go. I got my M1 license a few years back just to kill time at the DMV when i drove my buddie to take his test and have never used it. It's time for me to hit the road myself, i've been eyeing the CRF250L as a fun little affordable bike to tinker with. Have fun at the Reality Rally!!
ReplyDelete