West Coast 3 - A day off and then a turn for the worse
- Timothy Bruce
- Jun 12
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 13
As I develop this blog, regrettably, I’m not cycling due to ill health. So far I’ve only missed 2 days but I have a heavy chesty cough that is not shifting and there’s a mugginess in my thinking which you cannot afford whilst on Highway 101. So far on the ride, there have only been a few minor accidents and most have resulted in a few scrapes and bruised egos, although we have lost one rider due to a leg injury. The roads have been pretty safe with clear cycle lanes but not all the time. The West Coast has had a few problems due to landslides due to torrential rain and yesterday we encountered a number of roadworks where repairs are underway, thus making riding a bike more treacherous.
Last Sunday (8th June) we had our first day off in North Bend and, after 8 consecutive days of riding, this was most welcome. We were able to partly recuperate, join in the church service in the morning and then chill. However, I seemed to spend quite some time walking to some shops to buy some plasters for my heels which had both cracked and I needed to ensure they did not become inflamed.
Monday, we climbed on our bikes again and I had one of my strongest rides where I made good progress and finished the ride towards the front of the group. Just under 60 miles and I felt really good.
Tuesday was an emotional day for me as I had the chance to meet up with a dear friend who I had not seen since 2019 in Salt Lake City. In order to maximise my time, I opted out of the first half of the bike ride and started cycling from the second rest stop. I rode into Brookings in the hope that we could share some quality time together. However, my friend was not in good health and I ended up sat all alone just outside MacDonalds in Brookings. I rode on from there to the church in Crescent City, crossing the state line into California, cloaked in disappointment and the thought that I may not now see my friend again. I was pretty much exhausted on arrival and really struggled to finish the ride. I did not feel well and pretty much fell asleep as soon as I had set up my air bed.
Waking up on the Wednesday I decided to sit out the ride by using the support vehicle due to not feeling well and having a heavy chesty cough which resulted in long coughing fits. This part of the ride brought us in towards the Great Redwood Forests and we were able to stop and take in some to the incredible views.
However, this brought the ride to McKinleyville and home of my great friends David & Beth Erquhart. We have been friends since the 2019 USA cross-country ride from Seattle to Washington DC but we have maintained pretty constant contact. We have since bicycled together in England and Ireland when they flew over and stayed at our home in England.
Today is Thursday and I’m still at David & Beth’s place, taking medicine and seeking to fully recover before returning to the ride. This has meant that I’ve missed out on the ride through ‘the Avenue of the Giants’ in the Redwood National Park - Doh!! I’m not happy that this has happened but I need to ensure the wellbeing of my fellow riders, not pass this infection on and be fit to return to the ride. I really hope to move on soon and not disappoint all those that have sponsored me so far:
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