The Dizzy 300km Worker's Report

Vertigo. Dizzy. Not able to walk in a straight line. (For the record, I think it is slowly clearing up. I am able to sit and type...)

In retrospect, I can see that it had been threatening for a day and a half before it really hit. Friday, my head was a little swimmy when I turned it.

Saturday I was up at 3:45am to co-organize the Oregon Randonneurs Three Capes 300km ride. We got everyone checked in, and away at 6am, except for the one person who showed up at 6:30 and departed shortly before 7am.

Then Susan F and I had the longest breakfast ever, and, around 11am, thought we'd do a little riding of our own. We settled on me showing her the new, nice way into Forest Grove on David Hill Road (not yet on google maps), then riding out Ritchey, Stringtown, Dilley, and Old Hwy 47 to the Lake Stop Store. Old 47 is, um, rolling tending to hilly. We elected to continue south to Gaston, cross Hwy 47 there, and then head north back to Forest Grove. Stringtown Rd south of Ritchey is one of my favorite stretches of road ever, and in the spring, it is wonderful. Given that I had felt a little wobbly earlier, it was perhaps not the smartest thing to do, but my head did feel clearer afterward. Susan thought my new bike computer was pretty cool.

A delightful soak in the hot pool after, then we opened up the last control. The Rounder Room was occupied for awhile, so we sat in the back of my van, enjoying the nice weather. Cecil returned, and moved stuff into the room, and Susan and I followed with the rest of the stuff.

The fast boys finished in 10:48. I'm beyond delighted if I can ride a 200km that fast! Imagine, finishing in daylight the Very Same Day!

Riders finished, we all visited, they had snacks, I knitted ("ooh! Alice Starmore" said one of the finishing riders.). Then (to make a short story long), the dizziness just kept getting worse and worse. I couldn't walk in a straight line. After awhile, I couldn't even sit up for long periods of time. I decamped to the sofa around 10:30, and didn't leave it much until it was time to close the control. Bill Alsup said I had a conversation with him when he finished, but I don't remember it. The last riders finished at 1:52am, 8 minutes before the last control closed. Thanks to Bill Alsup for driving back along the route to locate them.

Much amused discussion of the Montagnards and the logistics of applying the battery-operated light penalty. Is it for overall time? Or only the hours ridden after statutory sunset and before statutory sunrise? Suppose there is non-riding time at night (some riders are lucky enough to find time to sleep)? How is that accounted for? Are there also penalties for non-steel frames? Skinny tires? Non-canvas bike luggage? Non-wool clothing? Would bikes that "plane" have an unfair advantage? :-)

Nat Beagley was posting Facebook updates the whole ride (noted by Cecil, who had gone home after we got everyone started). This is how we learned he had broken 2 spokes in his rear wheel (I've got Facebook Mobile on my phone, and so alerted, was able to follow along). Fortunately, he had a lot of other spokes and Paul Whitney, so the wheel was rendered somewhat usable, and he finished in plenty of time.

Cecil scraped me up and drove me home. I fell right into bed, and did not get out of it, pretty much until today. Still dizzy, but I think it is slowly going away.

For the record, the advice nurse wasn't too concerned - she asked a lot of questions ("blow to your head? numbness in your extremities?, etc) to which I answered no to every single one. If it doesn't clear up in a few days, I should call again. She recommended Meclizine (Dramamine, AntiVert), so I've taken some. Time for another nap, I think.

all my pics for the day here