My First Century (km)

To say I trained for my first century on my trike would be like saying I ate casually before going to a buffet.  So, basically, just eating normally and then overeating.  I suppose you could say I trained, with sporadic recumbent bike training in my building's gym and some rowing for the last couple if weeks, but nowhere near the preparation I should have afforded myself.  But, no matter.  On my second ride of Rawk Lobster, I rode 70.6 miles, or almost 114km.  My motivation was simple.  I needed to test how my longest day on my Seattle to San Diego trip would feel.  Would I be successful?  Let's start at the beginning.


As soon as I left, it started to rain.  Thank you Hard Knocks Gods!  And of course, about 2 miles in, I realized I had not checked my tires.  They were low.  So the immediate search for a gas station began.  About 2 miles into my trip, I happened along a sign.  Perfect!  Surely they had a bike pump for me to use!  And they did!  And it didn't work! Thank you Hard Knocks Gods!

Luckily, one of the bike shop guys asked if everything was alright, and offered to use the compressor.  I told him my plans, after he admired my machine, and he wished me luck.  He also advised I use higher pressure when I'm loaded for my trip down the coast! Thanks Trike Gods! If you can give Cycle Butik some business, despite their bad French, I would appreciate it!

It didn't take long before I started hearing people look at me and little kids say "Wow!" or "Cool!" or "Look at that!"  The best reactions were from kids in the 4-6 year old range.  In Mississauga, when I took a water break, one kid playing baseball finally noticed Rawk Lobster and shared, "Wow, that's a really cool bike!" to which his teammates quickly agreed as they turned around to look.  Go Majors!!!

I took my rain jacket off as it was a bit suffocating and the rain had more or less stopped.  I had a few showers after that, but it didn't last very long, and I was fine.  It was just those damn Hard Knocks Gods toying around with me.

I had to pee in Oakville.  Sorry Oakville.  I actually think you're a great city.  But sometimes, you know... Nature calls.  I do think you bushes are of very high quality, and I hope they benefitted from my full bladder.

It wasn't long after I crossed the boarder that I came across my first roadkill.  A mostly intact Raccoon, covered in black flies.  It was this event that prompted the instant habit of holding my breath when I saw roadkill.  It will be interesting when I'm huffing and puffing up a hill and come across the dead and decaying.  Whatever will I do?  I'll spare you the graphic detail of a squirrel I saw on my way home which got hit in such a way that its feces squirted out directly behind its rump onto the road.  You might find the image... Oh damn. Sorry.  Just be glad there's no picture for me to insert.

It wasn't long after this that I saw a girl on her bike on her phone at an intersection.  I gave her a nod but she was too interested in her phone.  She rode past me a little while later.  Then, a short while after that, we exchanged salutations as she rested on the side of the road.  Then, I met Jerry!  He was curious about Rawk Lobster and was eager to share the distance he had ridden.  He was wearing jeans and a T-Shirt and riding a bike one grade above a Supercycle.  He was excited about his achievement because he was trying to lose weight.  I wasn't interested in sharing where I had come from and where I was going for fear I would overshadow his achievement.  But I did, but reminded him that I had to build up to this kind of ride.  OK... So I lied a little.  But it seems like that gave him confidence and he shared that he would work towards a similar goal.

Then, we passed the girl as she stopped at a green light, and she asked where we were going.  I told her I was going to Easterbrook's for a hot dog.  Later, when I saw her coming up behind me, I asked her where she was going.  She said Buffalo... That she was going to try and make her way to New York.  I could only assume New York City but I wasn't sure.  She sped off ahead saying she'd see us later, but I never did.  She was packed as if she was going on a day trip.  Small bag, bike, and the clothes on her back.  When I finally drove through Burlington and then under the QEW/403, I was not sure how much further I had but I was hoping it wouldn't be too long.  I knew this stretch of road from when I had taken a course in Aldershot.  Once I got to the cemetery, I knew I was close.  The sesame snaps and energy bar had helped, but I really needed some fuel!

I decided I would start with the ice cream, while my Chicago foot long and Poutine were being made.

I had Mint Chocolate Chip, my second favourite flavour, because I felt Pralines and Cream would be too sweet, and the mint is refreshing.  I was really craving refreshing.  And thank goodness the Coca Cola was ice cold!  I scarfed down the Footlong, let my mom know I was still alive, and after ignoring her advice to take the bus back, was on the road again.  But not before using my leftover ice cream cone to make a cheese cone with some shredded cheese I found under my Poutine plate!  And for you purists, they did not describe their fries with gravy and cheese as Poutine.  Otherwise, I would have expected curds!

I had to wonder about Ian McCollum, a supply teacher at my school, when I passed by the Hospital in Burlington.  When I had visited him in the hospital, he told me about Easterbrook's.  When I realized my adventure would take me to Hamilton, I knew my destination would be Easterbrook's!  Thanks Ian!  As you said, "The foot longs are excellent."  

Things started to get a little slow going, and I wondered if I would be able to make it home in time to join my friends for Star Trek that evening at 9:30pm.  So I just kept reminding myself to pedal.  But I also made sure not to miss any experiences.  When a guy in Oakville started chatting me up, asking me questions about Rawk Lobster, I answered them and took my time talking with him and his girlfriend.  When we were interrupted by an enthusiastic gentleman of the Hell's Angels disposition, I chatted with him as well.  And it seemed like he has distance biking under his belt.  After admiring my machine and wishing me luck on my journey back to Toronto, I bid him adieu.

I had been losing steam until then, but the talks and rest were exactly what I had needed to give me mental fuel.  That and seeing the Mississauga sign.  Sure the aforementioned squirrel took a bit of the winds out of my sails, but the equal parts fascination and disgust balanced it out.  I noticed a bit too late that I had passed Clarkson, which was a street I remembered going down.  As I continued into what looked like thick forrest, I was afraid I would hit a dead end and a car park.  That didn't happen, and I continued to follow the waterfront trail signs.  Then, I got to a sign that said "no bikes".  Said nothing about no trikes, and I carried the trike through the barricade and hoped I wouldn't have to turn around.

And for a change, I met my first live animal.  His name is Ribbit.  This was just before exiting the no-bikes path, whose barricade I managed to squeeze through without getting off Rawk Lobster.

There was a lot of Industry visible from Aldershot across the bay to Hamilton, but Mississauga had plenty too.

At this point, I was at the same level of muscle fatigue both in my legs and my knees for a long enough time to know that I just had to keep on motoring to get home.  My calculations pegged me at getting home around 8:30pm.  That would be a full hour before my planned screening of Star Trek with my friends in downtown Toronto.  So I spent some of the 2 hours I had left strategizing a plan for when I got home to minimize the pain I was predicting for the next day, and possibly evening.  

My mom met me downstairs, and I wish I had taken a picture of my arrival at home, but only had video which stopped as my phone was full.  Good timing Hard Knocks Gods!!!  I had my mom grab the bottle of Advil I had bought the day before from my car as I filled the tub with cold water and ice from my freezer.  I also drank a solution with BCAA (Branch Chain Amino Acids) which I found helps with muscle repair after a workout and stretched my quads for 45 slow seconds on each side.  I soaked in the ice water, which almost felt warm, so I ran the melting ice up and down my thighs.  Then I realized, my hot body is what made the water and ice melt so fast!

After 5 minutes of soaking, the ice had all melted and I dried off, grabbed some clothes, drank some more water, took an Advil for inflammation, rubbed a bunch of Voltaren Emugel on my quads and knees, dressed and rushed out the door.  I had 30 minutes to get downtown, park, and meet my friends. Of course, like any true Torontonian, I opted to look for free parking and found some.  I had taken roads instead of the freeway to avoid the bottleneck at Spadina offramp, and managed to find a spot in one of my free parking areas I know about, and I had 10 minutes to spare.  My friend bought my ticket and I accurately texted them that I was 6 minutes away.  I decided to see what my legs would feel like if I jogged.  It was fine.  So I started to run lightly.  Still fine.  I was amazed.  But not as amazed as I was the next morning.  I got home around 3am after having a few drinks after the movie with my friends.  I stretched my quads while lying down on my stomach in bed, before heading off to slumberland to dream of not being able to walk ever again, even though I felt fine at that point.  And when I woke up... Nothing.  No pain.  Going down stairs.  No pain. Doing a full squat.  No pain.  This was incredible!!!  I don't know what part of my quick routine did it, but I was fine.  I continued to take Advil a couple more times, and that was it.  Challenge completed, aftermath acceptable.  Guess I get the last laugh, Hard Knock Gods.  - Adamino