A quick note on pain.

I normally don't post on ride days. The reason has nothing to do with exhaustion. It has EVERYTHING to do with our smart phone. Jamie has done an unbelievable job of posting each and every night, typing away on a miniscule keyboard that more often than not leaves much to be desired. I've attempted to write on our smart phone's touch screen but can't do it. I simply don't have the patience (or dexterity?) to focus long enough. Consequently, each and every post that Jamie makes is rather tedious and time-consuming. And for that reason, I hope that you're all enjoying them as much as I am!!

We have finally crossed into the Eastern Time Zone. It's completely unbelievable that we've made it this far. Often, before we fall asleep, Jamie and I repeat to ourselves how far we have come. However, there have been challenges: heat, wind, mosquitoes, and the aches of riding. Unfortunately, I've begun to experience some achilles tendon pain. It seems as though 2,700 miles is finally beginning to take a toll on my body.  Jamie and I have been running at a pretty good clip through Wisconsin (and the Upper Peninsula), and I have begun to show signs of wearing down. This is a rather different tune than the one I sang last time I posted, but it is indeed a reality of life on the road.

For those of you unaccustomed to putting your body through the physical rigors of pedaling an 80 pound contraption across the country, I want to assure you that discomfort is normal. Jamie and I have both gone through moments where it seemed as if our bodies were"letting us down." For me, pain and stress most often reside in my legs. I began this trip with trepidation due to lingering knee pain, yet as the trip wore on, my knees began to feel better than when we had left--I attribute this to a general strengthening of the muscles. Nevertheless, not all is perfect.

I read once that in an hour ride, a cyclist will make about 5,000 revolutions of the leg/foot. Now, if we were to do basic math and multiply 5,000 by 6 hours (our average daily length), it equals to 30,000 revolutions a day. Biking is a very repetitive sport, so one can imagine the strain that the ligaments and muscles are under, especially when the trip lasts longer than two months. Consequently, knees can start popping, tendons begin creaking, and muscle tissue gets ripped. There have been times where I couldn't fully extend my knee due to the searing pain in my quad, just as there have been instances where I creak and crack as if I'm an 80 year old. Thankfully, rest, a good stretch, and a spry/young body make for quick recoveries. For Jamie, her pain is located in her hands and wrist. One of the less-common injuries associated with cycling is what is called "handlebar-palsy," which seems to occur from literally putting your hands on handlebars for hours on end. The nerves in the hand are stressed, begin to twitch, and then cause one to lose feeling, grip, and control in the ring and pinky fingers. It was rather scary for us when it began to occur, but since then, Jamie has gotten some new bar tape (thanks, Jesse!) and entered into a routine of "wrist yoga" which helps. The point of writing this, is not to scare anyone, but rather to inform you of the physical challenges that are inherent in undertaking such an excursion. Luckily the natural beauty and human generosity make all the "suffering" worth it. 

There is much more to write, but the time is now mid-night and I must get some sleep. I'll post a more thorough update soon!