Let me share a secret with you. I do doping. During last year’s ride I had to sag on Day 6, meaning I was taken to camp by a bus just after the lunch stop. My right knee hurt so badly I couldn’t go on. It was a real emotional moment for me. There I was, coming all the way from Amsterdam, and not being able to do the whole ride. In the bus I cried and when I arrived at camp I still felt defeated, no matter what people told me. Until this woman came up to me, offered me her shoulder (actually it was her bosom) to cry on, and told me those 40 miles I couldn’t ride were not that important at all. The fact that I was here, cycling for a good cause was worthwhile in itself. I thought she was really sweet but arriving in LA by means of a bus was no option for me.
Fortunately there are veteran riders, and one of them, a 9 time rider, introduced me to Ibuprofen. The next day I cycled 80 miles to Los Angeles without a blink. This year, after the second day I felt the same nagging pain again, this time for some strange reason in my left knee. I was well prepaired this time. In Holland I bought the pink coloured – yes they look like sweets – 99 Eurocents 400 mg pills at our local Walgreens. Although I dislike pills, this time they did a great job.
So much for the doping. Today was a jolly day. It was Red Dress Day. Every participant is dressed in red to form a symbolic red ribbon. You can imagine what outrageous outfits people wear. Moreover this fifth day of the ride is the shortest one: 44 miles (70 km). Although it’s short there are some steep hills to climb. One of them is really spectacular since you can actually see where you’re heading for from the start. It looks like an insurmountable hill, but I was in good shape and I passed many a rider. I’m sorry guys, but that gave me a real kick.
Come to think of it, the day didn’t start that jolly at all. One of the riders fell and had some deep wounds. The blood wasn’t gushing from them but it looked dramatic anyhow. Before I did last year’s ride a colleague of mine gave me a first aid kit, a tiny red box filled with bandages, bandaids, etc. Like last year I left it in my suitcase this time, until today. So when the guy in front of me, dressed as the devil, fell I got my kit out, let the Florence Nightingale in me take over and fulfilled my duty. Finally I could help someone else and that felt really good. A witty guy who gave emotional support looked at us and commented: ‘The devil is helped by and angel. How ironic is that?’
Also I’d like to add something to a topic I addressed the other day. I wrote that Americans didn’t go abroad that much. Either on this ride every single American that goes abroad is present or my assumptions are totally incorrect. You wouldn’t believe how many people I talked to the last week who have a connection with the Netherlands. One of the members of the Aids Lifecycle staff has been learning Dutch for two years now. Then I met this woman, Karin, who worked at a software company in Barneveld for a few years. Barneveld is a tiny town in our own Bible Belt. Yes you got that right, we’ve got one as well. It is called the Black Kneehighs community, because the women over there have to wear black skirts, black kneehighs and they are not allowed to watch, let alone to own a tv. So I presume you could compare them with the Amish. Karin told me she had to pray every day before lunch. Wow, if that is Bible Beltish, what is? And today I met this girl – indeed again I forgot a name – who was raised by a Dutch mother and an Indonesian father. It’s weird, but when she started talking to me in Dutch I couldn’t find the right words. If you speak English all day long you start thinking in English as well. So when I go back home my friends will most likely ask me what’s wrong with me. They did so last year. Apparently I spoke Dutch as if I were an American. Well you become part of the Melting Pot if you cycle all the way from San Francisco to Los Angeles I guess.
Dear Bart,
Thank you for your entertaining faithful blog. It has been very fun to read and imagine doing this even from as far away as Holland! I am glad you learned this year we are not as isolationist or untraveled as you thought, (I will try not to be TOO political but if I were European these days I may think the majority of Americans are war mongering isolationist idiots from our international "politics".......but enough of that....)Thank God! I lived in Europe in my last 2 years of highschool and loved it. I love to experience different cultures and languages, but don't know much Dutch....yet. My sister #1840 Tray is one of my heroes now with all of you too, she is doing the ride with her own chronic illness and I am very proud of her. I heard she has bronchitis and is still trying to finish, she is on Team 100 from LA and I have seen some of her teammates in photos but not her yet. If you see her please give her a hug and let her know her big sister is sending love and support her way, and for all of you on the road, and especially you bloggers THANK YOU for helping me experience it a little bit each night. I can imagine after some of these days it is a big effort to write....take care GO BART GO God bless and lots of hugs and best wishes and thoughts for your last 2 days.)and now it seems I do not have an excuse for not coming from as "far away" as Arizona!) Sincerely, Jaime Merrifield
Posted by: Jaime Merrifield | June 07, 2007 at 09:28 PM
Greetings Bart,
I can't wait to sit down at my computer each morning to read my son's, James Ferguson, daily blogs along with your entertaining entries. Your humor, observations on American life and overall descriptions of your daily experiences are so enjoyable that I dread the thought of this year's ride coming to an end. You, James and others have inspired me to consider riding next year just to be a part of the great ALC community. May your knees remain strong, and your tires inflated for these final days in California.
Warmly, Joannes
Posted by: Joannes | June 08, 2007 at 04:14 PM
Bart- Did you meet Jeff(#1542)? He is of Dutch Indonesian decent as well as another person riding.Small world really! Your ride looked so beautiful.
Posted by: Julie | June 10, 2007 at 09:48 AM