Camino Real is the first CA double of the year, I've finished fine three years previous. This year, not so good!

I was doing fine for the first 2/3 of the double, but started to suffer just before San Onofre on the way back (mile 130). I was a tad dizzy getting off the bike at the checkpoint, but nothing serious (I thought).

I must have looked bad though, cause Linda Adams assigned my friend Andrew to stay with me. Through San Clemete and San Jaun Cap my back pain started to get really bad. Plus, I was having trouble keeping the bike pointed straight (wanted to go to the right).

Eventually, on one climb, I inadvertantly crashed into the curb and fell over. Nothing hurt, thankfully, but I was having serious balance and control issues, plus my lower back pain had become worse/horrible.

Back on the bike, I was having to push hard on the left side of the handlebar to keep the bike going straight. Somehow made it to the top of Antonio (mile 170), then crashed again . . . into the right curb.

At that point, about 4 mi. from the last checkpoint, I DNF'd. It would have been crazy/dangerous to try to keep going. My wife (Jackie) gave me a ride back to the hotel to make my DNF official (w/Lynn Katano), but even there, my body kept hitting the walls on the right of the hallway.

I couldn't even walk straight! Back in the hotel room, I looked in the full-length mirror and my whole body was leaning to the right (no political jokes here!). Worse, I could not straighten it out, no matter how much I tried.

Took a shower, slept 7 hours, woke up and my body was straight again. I will be going to see a doctor, yes. I did have a cold the week before, so it might be an inner ear / balance thing. Or, worse yet, it could have been a minor stroke (scary thought!).

So, a lovely Camino Real double for most of it, but very painful at the end. Hope to be recovered completely by the Solvang Double, late March 2010!

Rick / OCRR