Trip 1: Entry 7 - Sores and more

Got some time on my hands here in Glenboro, so thought I would fill in some areas of info:

OK, a few of you have made it clear that you'd like less butt talk, which I can appreciate. BELIEVE ME, I wish the topic had never come up. (After absolutely no problems during more than 10,000 kms in '95, I used to brag that I had a butt of steel. It seems to have turned to butter.) However, my guess is that some of you may not know exactly what saddle sores are.

More cushioning is not the solution! Unlike bed sores, where that helps, saddle sores are more typically a combination of pressure, friction and some bacterial build-up due to the sweaty activity. Boils can appear that are very sensative and if they get too roughed up and infected, then things can become very serious, all the way up to surgery. Shorts selection, saddle fit/firmness and riding techniques are all important. I hope to use some new lessons to minimize the chance of another set of problems, but may have to face buying more shorts and yet another saddle.

I've also been pretty vague on the gear I'm using. The bike is actually a cyclecross one, which is a bizarre sport that combines what looks like a road bike with racing on dirt and lifting the bike over obtacles and up steep inclines. What makes it well suited for what I'm trying to do is that it is faster than a touring bike with its lighter weight and more road oriented gearing, yet tougher than a road bike. There are also the bolt eyelets ('braze-ons') for the rack near the rear wheel axel which most road bikes don't have. I am using skinny 23mm tires pumped to over 100 psi.

The aerobars attached to the handlebars allow a very low wind profile and are mostly used heading into headwinds. Their use can add 2-3 kms/hr speed and offer a change in riding position for comfort, but they make steering more sensative so are poor in gusty conditions and also require a much more heads down stance which makes them most enjoyable on wide, paved shoulders where you can see well ahead every few moments and can then tuck back down again. They do not make for good scenery watching. Most of the times I ride with my hands wrapped around the brake 'hoods'.

I've tried to keep the rest of my gear light, but have already learned I can be much lighter next ride. My tent is very strong, but heavy at just over 5 lbs. I am hoping to use a Black Diamond prototype solo tent next trip which will weigh less than 3 lbs, I believe. The stove I have, a JetsBoil (not available in Canada), is very small and efficient, but is not good for actually cooking in, so I mostly add the hot water to noodles or oatmeal in a 4-cup measuring cup. I am normally able to eat fruit and veggies each day. I also have multi-vitamins and a Calcium-Magnesium supplement. You loose a lot of bone mass doing all this non weight bearing exercise.

I'm also trying to get lots of protein and fat through nuts, tuna, sardines and meats. Again, under such endurance conditions, your body will burn all 3 sources and simply eating sugary things all day would not be sufficient (or healthy). You need the protein for recovery as well.

Clothing wise I am fairly lean as well: a synthetic insulation jacket for warmth, a tuque, thin long underwear, trail running shorts, cotton boxers, cotton t-shirt, a pair of nylon pants, 1 pair long socks and two short for riding, super light foam saddles, two pairs bike shorts, a long sleve riding jersey, a short sleve synthetic shirt, a super-light weight rain shell, a bandana and a small travel towel. I am hoping to ditch the jacket, boxers and maybe long underwear for the next trip.

It is Sat. afternoon and I have had a relaxing day here. No Globe and Mail, though :( Things have healed up considerably and I will set out again tomorrow morning, heading south a bit, and then east on hwy 23. I am pretty anxious about this. If the sores come back to the point of being a problem again, despite all the new preventative meassures, then I'll be in a bit more of a quandary.

However, I'm quite optomisitc and may try to force myself to start back in with shortish days and take more time to heal/clean up. I'll try to get another update done in a day or two. Hope you are enjoying the long weekend.

ciao