RTL: Suffering any after-effects?

[CoreTechs]

Hm... well, I felt and still do feel fine after the race... But I've noticed today and today that I am now having some sort of allergic skin reaction to some of the clothes I wore. The cotton RTL tshirt and the polyester jersey (both clean and washed) have made my skin go red, bumpy and itchy on my abdomin and arms. It clears away a while after I take my shirt off. I have no idea what is causing this because as far as I have known until now, I have never been allergic to anything.

[chuckaeronut]

My worst side effect is the new ease with which I can pedal my geared uni. I don't even really think about going fast, and I'm cruising around town at 17-19 mph between stoplights! Riding that hard all week really made us better riders over all, I think. Plus, my appetite is AWESOME, and I'm finally starting to wake up a bit and not be so sleepy!

That said, RTL will forever be etched into all of our memories. It was truly a blast. w00t!

Oh, and ++; about the bug bites.

[unifreak7]

I don't believe in this witchcraft!!!!!

[flyer]

I have another side effect - I _really_ want a geared hub. I keep evaluating how much the things in my house that I don't need are worth. This is probably not a good sign. I won't be able to post on the forums anymore, but I'll be able to cruise around at 18mph

[johnfoss]

A cold/fever. Probably brought on by insufficient sleep starting last Sunday and not being sufficient all week. Legs are fine though! I used enough sunscreen when appropriate, as well as Deep Woods Off, but still have some bug bites or things I haven't experienced before, on my arms & legs.

[genbirch]

So I drove home after RTL. 2.5 days on my ass should have been therapeutic - but it wasn't.
On Sunday (basically day 1 of the drive), I took a 1 hour roll through rural Maine (it's all kind of rural) and felt good. Yesterday (Monday), I set out for an intended hour of riding in the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore area near Gary Indiana. Within a hundred meters I cramped badly in my quads and painfully limped back to the van.
Because of the circumstances, I think that I've finally figured out this problem which I've been having for several years. During the race, I was loading on electrolyte beverages (G2 and reg. Gatorade), water but taking little coffee. On my drive home, especially over the latter half of the drive, this ratio of 'good' to 'bad' fluids was almost exactly reversed - I swilled coffee and drank little else. When I arrived in the Dunes I was eager, impatient, wacked-out and DEHYDRATED with probably poor electrolyte balance. Besides these things, I didn't stretch. I'm afraid I was dumb.
So now I'm suffering the after effects of a bad cramping episode. For the next couple days my thighs will burn until the lactate is flushed. I'm drinking alot now trying to speed this along.

It was a wonderful week - bliss and pain and all of that. It doesn't get much greater that RTL was . . . with the 'immortal' words of Max still in my mem. banks - ". . . lets do it again sometime."

[steveyo]

Originally Posted by johnfoss

A cold/fever. Probably brought on by insufficient sleep starting last Sunday and not being sufficient all week. Legs are fine though! I used enough sunscreen when appropriate, as well as Deep Woods Off, but still have some bug bites or things I haven't experienced before, on my arms & legs.

John -
Not sure what you mean by "things I haven't experienced before", but make sure they're not ticks or tick bites. We saw tons of ticks up there, and Lyme disease has fever as a symptom. If you have any rashes, especially shaped like a bullseye, go to the doctor right away. Lyme disease is nasty, including possible permanent organ damage.

Originally Posted by flyer

I have another side effect - I _really_ want a geared hub. I keep evaluating how much the things in my house that I don't need are worth. This is probably not a good sign...

I've been thinking the same thing, Dave.

[johnfoss]

Yikes! Thanks for the warning, and let that be a notice to everyone else who had "reason" to wander in the roadside weeds.

Fortunately mine don't seem to match any of the rash descriptions found on the various Lyme Disease sites I've just been looking at, but I might get checked out anyway. Some are undoubtedly mosquito bites; they find me quite tasty!

I also want a geared hub, though not sure if I want it on a 29" or 36". Probably 29" as it's a much lighter and more versatile wheel. For a future RTL-type race however, a geared 36" might be just the ticket. Especially if the race is somewhere a little flatter...

[semach.the.monkey]

Originally Posted by David_Stone

Of course, semach the monkey has a different story to tell! He's got quite an interesting Mohawk burn on his scalp.

you mean the <b>award winning</b> burn? i think i need to update my avitar to show the red wool that is flaking off

as for other after efects? well, i think most of what i'm feeling now is more to do with enjoying myself a bit much on saturday then sitting in a van for 2 days solid. still, less than 24 hours to go and i should be home.

stm

[nathan]

My left achilles is still sore and the bug bites still itch. That's pretty much it. Definitely worth every bit of pain!

---Nathan

[Into the blue]

Originally Posted by semach.the.monkey

you mean the <b>award winning</b> burn? i think i need to update my avitar to show the red wool that is flaking off

Oh I think we are going to need to see some photos of this.

[David_Stone]

It's looking like I have tendinitis in my left foot above the ankle (anterior?). Anyhoo, it's a drag bc I can't ride till it heals, and I'm DYING to go for a spin.

I did take the guni for a 30-minute twirl this afternoon after lowering the seat, and the result was that it still killed to put much pressure on the foot, as when I went up hills (and to a lesser extent, down hills). I was hoping to go riding with Sam W when he swings by tom'w, but it looks like we'll have to settle on breakfast instead. Could be worse!

[Texacali23]

I finally got back to Austin, Texas where the weather is a comfortable 100 degrees. 36 degrees celcius. As soon as I got off the plane and felt the heat I knew I was home and immediately wanted to go ride. I went for a ride the past two days and it just confirmed that I feel at home on the 36er. I love riding around town. I got half way through my ride and realized that I could slow down because Personal Rollercoaster wasn't chasing me. I had a big laugh from that one. It was an honor to meet and ride with Steveyo. You pushed me all week long and for that I thank you. RTL just solidified in my mind that the 36er is my passion and I just love putting on the headphones and taking off. Since RTL my biggest side effect is that nothing can bother me so far. I'm loving life and having fun for the first time in a while and I owe it to RTL. Thanks to everyone I met and everyone I got to ride with. I can't wait to go ride this afternoon. Another 100 degree day. Yeah!!!

Aj

[steveyo]

Originally Posted by Texacali23

...I got half way through my ride and realized that I could slow down because Personal Rollercoaster wasn't chasing me. I had a big laugh from that one. It was an honor to meet and ride with Steveyo. You pushed me all week long and for that I thank you...

LOL! The pleasure was mine.

[steveyo]

Originally Posted by Texacali23

...ride with Steveyo. You pushed me all week long...

Anyway, I wouldn't have been chasing you if you didn't keep passing me.