It's been three weeks to the day since I returned from my 1,880-mile cycling journey that took me from Swartz Bay, British Columbia to Tijuana, Mexico. This is my postscript:
All told, I received 150 donations amounting to $28,965 raised for the Arthritis Foundation. Combined with my five other California Coast Classics, you have helped me raise $100,854. Combined with my Links for Life teammates over the years, we have raised a grand total of $204,981. I never imagined when I rode my first CCC in 2006 that any of this would be possible.
I can't begin to thank you enough. But if you watch this video, you'll see how we're making a real difference with real people. This is from this year's Camp Milagros, Northern California's only camp for kids with arthritis. I know every one of these kids and so does Lindsey.
You'll see Lindsey a few times and at the end of this post, she has some final thoughts.
All told, I received 150 donations amounting to $28,965 raised for the Arthritis Foundation. Combined with my five other California Coast Classics, you have helped me raise $100,854. Combined with my Links for Life teammates over the years, we have raised a grand total of $204,981. I never imagined when I rode my first CCC in 2006 that any of this would be possible.
I can't begin to thank you enough. But if you watch this video, you'll see how we're making a real difference with real people. This is from this year's Camp Milagros, Northern California's only camp for kids with arthritis. I know every one of these kids and so does Lindsey.
You'll see Lindsey a few times and at the end of this post, she has some final thoughts.
Final Stats?
- I cycled 29 days - 5 days in Washington, a little over 6 days in Oregon, and 18 days in California.
- I rode 1,882 miles, an average of 65 miles per day.
- My total elevation gain was 71,386', with the most being 4,721' on Day 22 between Big Sur and Cambria, CA.
- Time in the saddle was about 150 hours, an average of about 6:10 per day.
- I burned 80,000 calories, about 2,760 per day or 42.5 per mile.
- I lost about 3 pounds getting to San Francisco & then I lost those same 3 pounds from San Francisco to the border.
- I had one flat tire on Day 27 in Seal Beach.
Every Day was a Great Day Longest/Shortest Days? 87.9 miles from Buellton to Ventura (day 25) and 28.9 miles from Newport, OR to Yachats, OR (Day 8).
Coldest Day? 42° leaving Buellton on day 25. I’m not sure of the hottest day but it got to about 90° that same day.
Toughest Moment? Getting on my bike on Day 5 in South Bend, WA and being unable to pedal a single stroke.
Coldest Day? 42° leaving Buellton on day 25. I’m not sure of the hottest day but it got to about 90° that same day.
Toughest Moment? Getting on my bike on Day 5 in South Bend, WA and being unable to pedal a single stroke.
Downpour Ahead! Wettest Day? I got drenched on the Tomales-to-San Francisco day in Lagunitas, and I caught some rain on 5 other days (plus two travel days when I wasn't on the bike).
Favorite Day? I honestly can't say. Every day and every part of the ride was perfect. ...Well, except for the miserable winds between Ventura to Malibu - but even that is now a part of a great memory.
Favorite Day? I honestly can't say. Every day and every part of the ride was perfect. ...Well, except for the miserable winds between Ventura to Malibu - but even that is now a part of a great memory.
Time to Get the Show on the Road Hardest Day? Easily, Day 24, when I averaged about 10 mph for the first 35 miles, riding into what had to be a 30 mph headwind between Ventura and Malibu. And it came the day after the longest day of the ride.
Most Monumental Moment? Getting on my bike at the start.
Most Monumental Moment? Getting on my bike at the start.
Downtown Ferndale, CA Coolest (based on where I spent my nights) Small Towns? Garberville, CA; Westport, WA; Tomales, CA; Ferndale, CA; and Cambria, CA.
Coolest (based on where I spent my nights) Bigger Towns? Monterey, CA; Anacortes, WA; Ft. Bragg, CA; Manhattan Beach, CA; Astoria, OR.
Coolest (based on where I spent my nights) Bigger Towns? Monterey, CA; Anacortes, WA; Ft. Bragg, CA; Manhattan Beach, CA; Astoria, OR.
Cathy, my Mt. Walker Inn Guardian Angel Best (based on where I spent my nights) Overnight Accommodations? Westport Bayside B&B, Westport, WA.
Best (based on where I spent my nights) Overnight Hospitality? Mt. Walker Inn, Quilcene, WA (and it goes beyond the owner driving me 50 miles round trip to the hospital).
Best (based on where I spent my nights) Overnight Hospitality? Mt. Walker Inn, Quilcene, WA (and it goes beyond the owner driving me 50 miles round trip to the hospital).
....and this is the good knee How’s the Knee, Achilles, & Hamstring? I’m pretty much back to 100% though I had the oddest thing happen last Thursday. I was in the hospital recovery room (more about that below) and my knee started to get sore lying in bed. By that night (now back at home), I could barely walk and I was unable to bend my knee enough to even drive for the following two days. It was the exact same knee pain I experienced in Washington and this time, completely unassociated with any activity. By Sunday, it had pretty much cleared up.
The only commonality between the two times the knee got hurt is that I was pretty much confined to sleeping on my back the night before the knee pain began. One thought is that the leg position resulted in some impingement of the knee pad or maybe a loose piece of meniscus. Who knows?
If you think the photo on the right is tough to look at, be very glad I didn't post the photo of my hip hematoma.
The only commonality between the two times the knee got hurt is that I was pretty much confined to sleeping on my back the night before the knee pain began. One thought is that the leg position resulted in some impingement of the knee pad or maybe a loose piece of meniscus. Who knows?
If you think the photo on the right is tough to look at, be very glad I didn't post the photo of my hip hematoma.
Once more, for old time's sake Any Heart Issues? I may not be the first person to cycle from Canada to Mexico but I might be the first person to sandwich it between a heart attack and an arterial stent. My heart attack was on March 12th and I had a stent put in last week, on October 23rd, because the angioplasty from March was failing.
I had about five, brief episodes of chest pain while on the ride, so I suspected something was up. I saw my cardiologist shortly after I returned and he referred me to Dr. John Kao, a specialist who performed the procedure. The same 98%-blocked artery that caused the heart attack had returned to 70% blockage.
This procedure is amazing. Again, it was all done through the wrist, leaving a mark that is not much bigger than when you get your blood drawn. I was out of the hospital the next morning, able to return 100% to normal physical activity. It really wasn't that long ago that someone in my position would have been looking at heart bypass surgery. Incredible!
I had about five, brief episodes of chest pain while on the ride, so I suspected something was up. I saw my cardiologist shortly after I returned and he referred me to Dr. John Kao, a specialist who performed the procedure. The same 98%-blocked artery that caused the heart attack had returned to 70% blockage.
This procedure is amazing. Again, it was all done through the wrist, leaving a mark that is not much bigger than when you get your blood drawn. I was out of the hospital the next morning, able to return 100% to normal physical activity. It really wasn't that long ago that someone in my position would have been looking at heart bypass surgery. Incredible!
Just say NOOO! Biggest Takeaway? Disconnect!! I didn't read a newspaper, watch any TV, or surf the net during my 29 days on the bike, and it was liberating!
A huge reason I was able to fully disconnect is because my Colliers associates honored my request to "let me go" and they took great care of each other in my absence.
A huge reason I was able to fully disconnect is because my Colliers associates honored my request to "let me go" and they took great care of each other in my absence.
Lindsey, tooting her horn while she waits for me in San Francisco Final Thoughts? These final thoughts are from Lindsey:
I am so grateful for all of our friends and family who support me and my dad. I am so proud of my dad and how he went on such a life-altering experience and raised almost $30,000 for me and kids just like me. I think that a lot of the time, people do not think about donating to a cause like juvenile arthritis because so few people know about it.
I am so glad that all of my donors care enough to donate to a cause that they may know nothing about. The money that you donated will be going to a wonderful cause and changing the lives of many children.
Thank you again for everything you have done for us!
Lindsey Fredericks
I am so grateful for all of our friends and family who support me and my dad. I am so proud of my dad and how he went on such a life-altering experience and raised almost $30,000 for me and kids just like me. I think that a lot of the time, people do not think about donating to a cause like juvenile arthritis because so few people know about it.
I am so glad that all of my donors care enough to donate to a cause that they may know nothing about. The money that you donated will be going to a wonderful cause and changing the lives of many children.
Thank you again for everything you have done for us!
Lindsey Fredericks
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