Pollen, Booster, and the Medical Merri-Go-Round

Well, spring is here. We’re actually getting a few warm days. They happen to feature strong winds but that’s not the best part; tree pollen is through the roof. If you live in the DC area, you do not suffer alone. If they put a tariff on antihistamines, there will be a revolution. (Admittedly, it is hard to stage a credible revolt when the rebels have puffy eyes and are coughing and sneezing incessantly, but you get my point.) I started taking 24-hour antihistamines a few days ago and added Flonase today. My eyes are still itchy but I can function okay.

The winter medical merri-go-round continues. I’ve seen both my eye doctor (routine visit) and my hand surgeon (all’s good with the carpal tunnel recovery). On Sunday I received a covid booster shot. Coming up, my spring dental visit. Then I’m off the carousel.

Between the pollen and the booster, I woke up on Monday feeling pretty dreadful. I managed a 30-mile ride. Barely. On Tuesday, with warm weather, I planned a 70+ mile ride. I knew within 10 miles that my body was having nothing to do with such foolishness. Riding a big counterclockwise loop around DC, mostly on bike trails, I managed to eek out 63 miles. The last 10 I was on fumes despite actually bringing a decent amount of food and water.

Yesterday, I picked up the Tank at Bikes at Vienna and headed out the Washington and Old Dominion Trail. My intent was to ride all the way to the western terminus of the W&OD in Purcellville, Virginia. The round trip would have been 69 miles. Along the way I would stop at a barbecue place for an energy boost. Well, I got a late start leaving the house then chatted with Tim and Beth (Hey, this ICE trike would be just perfect for you!) for close to an hour. After consulting with Beth, who told me the barbecue place was about 25 miles away, I changed my plan and headed out for a late lunch.

Beth was only off my ten miles. I came upon the Carolina Brothers Barbecue place at 16 miles. Still wanting to cover 50 miles, I rode another nine miles before stopping for some Belvitas and a view of the countryside. I knew that my fantastically energetic ride was not caused by Beth’s tune up or my fabulous fitness. I had been coasting on a strong tailwind which, of course, became a headwind beatdown for the second half of the ride. At 34 miles I stopped at the barbecue place and ate entirely too much. The rest of the way I felt like my stomach was a bowling ball. Panting and wheezing, I struggled against the wind all the way back to Vienna.

I expected today’s recovery ride to be a 30-mile slog but it turned out to be a piece of cake. I suspect the booster’s side effects are behind me. Adding Flonase helped too. I ended up riding 35 miles and had all kinds of energy left when I arrived back home.

After the ride, I received a couple of e-mails from the tour leaders. In one I was advised that I’d need a headlight and a red blinkie taillight. I have a handlebar bag so I normally put my headlight on my helmet. That’s not going to work for my neck for six or more hours a day so I tried mounting it on my front rack. I’ll test it on the way to Friday Coffee Club. I have two blinkies. One is a big red disk that hangs from my saddle bag. I got it for free years ago. It stopped working so today I opened it up and replaced the batteries. Alas, the patient is kaput and I am out $16 for the odd-sized batteries.

In the second email we were advised not to ride “heavy touring bikes” and to use lightweight road bikes instead because the last two days will be long and hilly. Why on earth would you not use a touring bike for a bike tour? You would think they’d tell us this before we signed up for the tour. Which begs the issue, is this a tour or a roadie event? Grumble, grumble.

As for the “heavy” remark, The Mule is offended. My faithful steed has crossed dozens of nasty hills (Hoosier Pass, Monarch Pass, and Hardscrabble Mountain in Colorado, Cedar Breaks in Utah, Carson Pass in California, Rogers Pass in Montana, Middlebury Gap in Vermont, and the Kancamagus Pass in New Hamsphire, to name but a few). There may be some walking now and then but as Steven Wright says, “Anything is walking distance if you have the time.” So to the tour leader I say, “Leave the light on for me.”