Rick@OCRR

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

BluesDawg

Scary. Hope everything turns out OK.

palookabutt

I've dealt with inner ear problems periodically myself, so I know they can be disconcerting and a little scary. But given the alternative, I hope for your sake that's the extent of the problem.

big john

Damn, Rick, sorry to hear that. If you had a touch of that flu crap that's going around maybe that's the problem. I have it now and a little dizzyness and lack of balance comes with it.

Rick@OCRR

Thanks big john and palookabutt,

Have scheduled the appointment with the doctor; will advise his conclusions. No apparent after-effects, so I'm probably going to do the club ride on Tues. evening.

Not on the Calfee though . . . I think bike fit (lack thereof) could have been an issue, esp. with my back. I've ridden that Calfee on eleven doubles, but haven't ridden it since Bass Lake, Oct. of 2009.

Will stick with my Ti-GT for the time being (shorter effective top tube).

Rick / OCRR

Allegheny Jet

Hope this is just a brief illness Rick. Make sure you are riding with some one else who can watch out for you.

Louis

Geez, Rick - take it easy 'til you talk to your doctor. Best wishes, and let us know the outcome.

bobthib

All the best man. Keep us posted bro.

'47

I've happily followed all your double century postings with great satisfaction and vicarious pleasure...I hope to follow many more this summer. Good wishes things turn out right!

Kurt Erlenbach

I have friends who think riding 200 miles in a month is crazy. I won't tell them that there are people who think riding that far in a day makes for a good workout.

To do what you do, Rick, amazes me.

Mr. Beanz

Whoah! Sounds scary Rick! Glad you are straight again!

doctor j

Rick, I hope it was nothing more than the inner ear thing. Glad you made it out with no serious injuries. Get well soon! I know you're disappointed with the DNF, but 170 miles is nothing to sneeze at!

billydonn

Scary symptoms... I'm glad you are okay. But make note to yourself: stop when you can no longer point your bike straight. Just my two cents.

kr32

Agree with others here. I hope you are okay and it turns out fine.
Please let us know what it turns out to be. Sounds pretty scary to me to be honest.

Rick@OCRR

Yes, thanks everyone and I will advise after my visit with my doctor. As far as I can tell, I'm just fine now, and have been since I woke up on Sunday morning.

My headcold is still with me, so I'm hoping for the inner-ear balance connection. The stroke thing scares me, though I guess at almost 60 it's certainly not unheard of. Don't think the symptoms would go away that fast though.

Anyway, thanks again for all the kind thoughts, and I will advise after my doctor visit this Friday.

Photo was taken as I was riding through Oceanside, CA (when I was still feeling good!). Photo by Jon Shellenbarger.

Rick / OCRR

Metric Man

I don't know how I missed this post yesterday. Hope all is well Rick.

kjc9640

Rick, that is some scary stuff that you describe. Don't hesitate to see your Dr.
I hope everything goes well.

DanteB

I rode with Rick for a while during the double. I hope everything will be ok Rick. I know everyone likes to read Rick's posts, me included even when I've ridden the double with Rick. How do you remember everything? Anyway I hope it is ok that I posted my experiences on this double.

The first double of the season, February of course the weather will be iffy and it was. When I looked at the Weather Channel it said it was going to rain until around 6am, starting at 5:30 that should be about a ½ hr. or so. I didn’t put my fenders or raincoat on because it wasn’t raining when I went outside, mistake. As soon as we started it started raining and it rain for about 1 ½. The rain made the painted lines in the streets a little slippery and of course I got wet but it wasn’t cold.

By the time we hit the coast it had stopped raining, the sun was coming out and it was warming up. The next few hours were spent pedaling down the coast with various riders, stopping at the mini stop and visiting with Jon. The first rest stop was run by John Long and was well stocked with goodies. I sampled them and then dropped off some of my clothes. After we left the stop we had to ride under I-5 in the mud and water, oh so much fun. After the mud its a few miles then you get to ride on I-5 for 7 miles to Oceanside. Once off I-5 it’s onto the bike path heading east towards lunch.

At lunch I visited with Lori working the stop, had a Subway sandwich, took a few minutes rest and visited with other riders. 200 yards after leaving lunch you make a left turn and start climbing, nice long hill, a full stomach, but having ridden this ride before I knew not to eat too much because of the climb. I caught up with Justine checking her directions and then Frank on his fixie and we started riding together. At a stop sign Foster and Linda on their tandem caught us and there were five of us riding together.

We were on the bike path back into Oceanside into a pretty stiff headwind when we found the much needed mini stop with Jon from the morning mini stop. Now it’s back on I-5 heading north to only go through the mud filled underpass again. At the rest stop we put on our lights and warm clothing for the evening’s ride to the finish. We picked up a couple more riders after the rest stop, Kerin and her friend. The ride is back loaded with most of the big hills at the end. On the way up one of the roads Linda said we were stopping at Burger King for a break and a restroom, little did I know it was also for a burger and a coke, what a treat. A few miles later there was a rest stop that we stopped long enough to get our card signed then hit the road.

A few climbs and then we were dropping down to Irvine and the finish. Done, it wasn’t the fastest double I’ve done but I had a great time visiting with the rest stop workers, thank you for being there, and the riders I rode with.

The Weak Link

Sounds more like the Camino Unreal to me. No shame in stopping aftEr only 170 miles.

Rick@OCRR

True Weak Link,

But it is so annoying to get so close and then have to DNF. I could see that it was a dangerous situation, and though I hate to say it, I think I did the right thing.

Rick / OCRR

DougG

Wow, that's quite an experience and more than a bit scary. I hope you find a cause and can avoid a repeat.

As someone who has yet to do a century, a double sounds unreal. Having done both a few marathons (running) and numerous half-marathons, I can tell you that a full marathon is way more than twice as difficult than a half-M. Is it the same in biking?

I'd be curious how you approach one of these, especially regarding the typical speed that you travel at and if you ever get off the bike to take a break. I've found that in events where I ride at, say, 18mph most of the time on the roads, I'm still lucky to average 15mph for the overall distance/time due to breaks, hills, slowing or stopping at intersections, etc.

DanteB

The organizers usually have rest stops about 2-2 1/2 hours apart with food and water. You're right about the overall speed since you do get off the bike. Also, for me I don't ride as fast during the ride as I would doing a shorter ride. The second half, 100 miles, is more mental for me. On this ride, Camino Real, most of the big climbs are at the end which makes it harder.

Rick@OCRR

Hi Everyone,

Just got back from the doctor's. He said it was most likely a pinched nerve in my lower back that threw the body off (to the right). Defintely not a stroke, not an inner-ear problem.

He ordered a blood test (done), an X-Ray of my lower back (done), a CAT scan and a bone density test (to be scheduled by Kaiser Permanente in the not too distant future).

So overall, I'm happy. Still sucks DNF'ing on the double, but aside from that I'm happy. Rode 32 miles, mostly flat, with my wife on Tues. evening (on my Ti-GT) - no problems. Rode 24 miles on the club ride Thur. evening (on the Calfee) - much faster, actually hammered a lot of it in the drops, no problem.

Well, a little lower back pain when I got off the bike, but not while I was riding. My next double is March 27th (Solvang), so it should be all good by then. Oh, and the doctor said I could ride, but no doubles until he gets the results back from the tests noted above.

Rick / OCRR

Metric Man

Well you can still do single centuries.

Good news Rick.

DanteB

Good News Rick!!!!