Lurgi and smashed dreams

I know there are many people looking at this site, but I originally intended this as a personal site and so this post is a purely personal reflection.

On day 7 we set out from Norseman to Balladonia on the first of three long days, and the first of what I describe as the Nullarbor leg. The ride was an excellent one. There were a few showers, but the dominating factor was a good tail wind. The ride, though 192km, was not hard.

In the evening when walking the 200m or so from the dining room to the cabin I broke out in completely uncontrollable shivers. A pretty unpleasant night was spent and in the morning I dressed in riding gear to defer a decision until after breakfast. In the end I decided that I was in not state to ride, so loaded the bike on the trailer and climbed in the support car with Eric. There I dozed, sweated and vegetated. Essentially the condition got worse over the next few days and I've ended up with a full blown respitory virus infection. Turns out to be the worst such lurgi that I can remember having.

On Day 9 (Caiguna to Madura Pass) Eric and I cleared out from the team at morning tea time to make a 300km journey to Eucla to visit a Silver chain nursing service clinic there, and back 200km to Madura Pass. The nurse's prognosis after doing the usual checks was "probably swine flu" Great! Her concern was getting the temperature down and keeping it thus. No evidence of a need for antibiotics. Plough on for another couple days and we decided it was time for a visit to a doctor at Ceduna Hospital. He didn't mention swine flu. He still reckoned no secondary infection evidence and thus nothing more than symptomatic stuff from the chemist. A question of hang in there..

Today was the ride from Streaky Bay to Wudinna and for the first time there's some evidence of improvement. I feel human for a lot of the time today. A long way to go, and I heed the warnings of both medicos at the risk of heart damage if I try too much too soon .

So what does this mean? I've been off the bike for over a week. After spending months getting physically and mentally prepared for this big adventure, being off the bike this long brings the dream down in tatters. To be off the bike over the iconic Nullabor section is utterly devastating. It will take me some time to come to grips with it and I have to remember that the personal challenges are not all we're here for.

It seems even worse when I know that my legs, knees, etc were all going really well. In the end it was something that Icannot control that undid me.

Now that is out of the way, more cheerful stuff from now on. (I promise)