Trying to put down the big numbers

I wanted a big ride for Sunday. Christopher and I headed down to DD and 32 parking lot early, despite the threat of rain. While kitting up, we commented on the temp. It felt like it was about 70 degrees. We kicked around a few ideas, but decided on the middlefork, with the intention of riding gravel roads back. CP has posted about completing this in the past. I wrote the directions down on a piece of paper. The trail was in super shape. Fast, fast, fast. We were doing about an 8MPH average, and covering some ground. I didn't notice the heat until we were very close to the end of the trail. I could feel the power draining, and some twitching in my legs. Not a good sign, my response was to increase my fluid, and I took two enduralite pills. We were at the last gravel road before HWY J and I asked to shut it down and head back. We were about 2 miles from J, but I was concerned about water. The cramping set in hard soon after. We stopped at a house, and were lucky enuogh to get cold water with ice. We also checked our position, and made sure we were on track. I put some electrolytes in my cold water, and felt pretty good. I was on a stedy fueling program, GU, hammer bar, shot blocks, and heed with sustained energy, and some endurilights in my camelback. Soon after we started in, we hit a gravel hill that was several times longer than Matson hill. I had powered down significantly, and was walking the bike up the hill. I had to stop twice and sit down. The leg cramps were pretty significant, and were spreading to my chest. I was not in my right mind, and was telling Christopher to go get the car. Problem was, we did not know where we were so to speak. We moved on to hwy 49 and then on to the next county road, about 2 miles. At the bottom of a huge hill there was a T intersection. That was not in our directions. The moment I stopped pedaling, my legs locked up soo bad, I could not get off of my bike. Christopher suggested I lay in the creek, which I did for about 20 min. He scoped a house down the road about 1/2 mile, so I finally got off my ass and hobbled down there. For the second time, we met some very nice people that offered to drive us back to the car. There was absolutely no way I could ride/walk back. I was completely spent. We got the tour of Iron county as we drove to the car, bikes in the back of the truck. Even with cold water at Steve's house, and more at the car, the cramping was worse, and had moved to my whole body, hands, feet, chin, arms and abs. Luckily Christopher knows how to drive a stick, as I was in no conditions to drive. The next hour had me pouring sweat, elevated heart rate, and no appetite. A Gatorade really started to turn things around, but I am still in full recovery mode. I feel lucky that it turned out this way, as it could have been much worse. Had we been in the woods when this happened, the outcome would have been different.

After some research, I think it was heat exhaustion, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalance. That combo was enough to put me on my back, and break my will in half. I have never been so depleted of energy and motivation. It will take several days to pull through this one.

Looking back, I was in the saddle about 12 hours this week, the most this year for a week. The only other time I have completely shut down like this was last summer, on the middlefork, and on a week that was over 12 hours. Too much riding, too much heat, too much hubures. On a positive note, we did figure out how to connect gravel roads to the middlefork. The trail really is a gem. The decents are smoking fast, with lots of pedaling, and carving corners. The hills are not steep, but there are quite alot. Probably not the best choice for temps in the high 90's. This loop is best for mid oct or spring. The elevation gain on the trail is 4000+, that is huge for missouri. This trail rivals anything I have everdone. My biggest mistake was under estimating its power.

KEEP RIDING