TransPortugal Day 4

Portugal: 4. Erik: 0. But that's just results... today was actually a good day by most measures.

Waking up this morning, I think to my self: are there really 5 days of riding left? Holy cow. I'm already up to La Ruta completion time for on the bike out in the sun exposure. I feel pretty beaten down and low on energy. I think Dallas is right on the not enough sodium, even though I'm taking much more than I would at home. Sort of explains my cravings too. I think what's happening is that once my ratio of intake goes down, my body doesn't want to digest or process more fluid or food that's dilutive to equilibrium (whatever that equilibrium is, but presumeably related to sodium at this point) as I've been hankering for mustards, dressings, chips, etc. I've been lasting 4 or even 5 hours ok, but after that stomach just shuts down. I ride the rest on internal reserves, although I eat more. I end up peeing 5 times after dinner and through the night when, I'm guessing anyway, all the salts and dressings I slather on my dinner alow my body to get back to fluid processing again. I can stretch that successful 4-5 hours presumeably by improving intake ratios or timing, or obviously with less sweat inducing temperatures. We'll see, I'm hunting around for better ingredients to take out on the trail. I just don't have enough practical experience with long long days in hot hot weather (I'm not even sure that's something I desire to become experienced at... I cringe at the thought of putting more of those behind me).

I think some of the fatigue was the three days of heat and bike torture, but also the hotel room was hot last night, so I didn't sleep too well. I feel like I could sleep for another 6 hours. Or a week. The sky is overcast but I'm refusing to be optimistic, have fell into that cruel trap already. It feels sort of cool out, but I think the thin coulds will be burnt off.

I'm hungry for breakfast. Walking down there my behind really hurt - not a good sign considering I haven't sat in a breakfast chair yet or my bike saddle. Ate a big dinner but woke up really only because my stomach was growling. I see two new casts at breakfast, a Frenchman and a Portugese. One hand, one full arm.

Today is a 102km I think. Tomorrow is 163km and the following is 140km. Plan for today is to ride easy as I possibly can. I don't care where I get to, even with it being a shorter stage. I know I need to accumulate some reserves for the next two days as I feel pretty empty at the moment.

I started off with very little race food in my pockets, I was going to find whatever I needed out there. I brought a ham and cheese sandwich I made at breakfast, with extra salted butter. I rode entirely at a low aerobic recovery type pace, much of the first section with Oliver. Felt nice. Cooler and net down hill on farm roads, kind of stuff I like hammering when I feel good because it minimizes the effect of having a small power to weight ratio. Didn't eat till noon, then chowed down my sandwich on a coasting road section, no hands and looking at the mountains it was the best seat in the house.

Came into a town and found a non-GPS marked fountain so I stopped to chill out. As I gazed across the street from the seat by the fountain, I saw the creator had plunked down a peach tree right there. About a week before ripe, but pretty spectacular none the less. As I sat here Oliver, Christoper and a Frenchman came up too. I ate 5 peaches and departed.

We seperated again shortly, I ride hills a little faster than them, but it didn't matter as the next town was 6km away. I told Oliver as we entered that I was going to look for a cafe, he said he was going to drive on and try to finish today.

I saw a bike parked along a wall, and heard accordion music. Looked in and Ryan, Trininidadian #2 was in there. Christopher was on his way too. We stuck out as the only lycra clad geeks among olive and fruit farmers. Ryan was drinking coffee, I asked the old lady for a sandwich... but no sandwiches. She saw the dismay on my face, and soon enough we were talking sopa. I was using all my aces today apparently with the peach tree and this, but somehow I ended up in minutes with a giant hot bowl of cebola sopa, onion soup. No cheese like French onion soup, but rest was same in concept. Only this had three times the onions and the salt was fantastic. Had two little cokes and a bit of the giant can of tuna the Trinidadians bought. The man stopped playing the accordian and came to give me a bigger spoon, as his wife had just given me a little coffee stirring spoon. I couldn't think of a better lunch stop.

We split up a bit over the next few km, Ryan and I rode the hills together and waited for the other two behind us... until Ryan had a mechanical. Same as what happened to me in the garbage dump with Jon earlier this year - riding and next thing you know your derailleur is upside down on top of your cassette and you're basically up sh-t creek. Hearing a Trinidadian describe how he felt about this is priceless.

I helped him get it into a single speed, he wasn't too apt with tools, and he asserted that my effort was a half hour faster than he would have done. It sort of worked, enough to get him to the next checkpoint. Suspension travel and lateral play from standing up didn't help though, so it wasn't a perfect solution.

Christopher rode into the checkpoint with us and was going to try to finish. My behind was immensely sore, I've stood about 1/3 of the day so far, and just grimace when sitting. Ryan noticed and said he was having same problem. He said he'd have to buy me a beer for fixing his bike, and I said I'd have to buy him one for being a riding partner. It helped that at the checkpoint the three others waiting there were all women who said they wanted to go to a cafe. I think I got in enough distance to help continue my metabolism adaptation without digging a hole further - about 65k.
Next stop after dusty checkpoint was cafe by fountain. Antonio #3 was our driver, he's been a great guy so far and coninued to impress. We stopped for minted limonade, something like a pizza roll, a couple more little cokes, chicken pot pies, etc. Good stuff all around.

Cleaned my bike today as I obviously got dropped off before it was closed, got a massage (maybe missing yesterday was part of why I felt so crummy?), and had a good snack.

Sitting in nice air temps next to a pool at a 4 star hotel up by a castle... this feels about right.

All I need to do tonight is find my other saddle, some remedy for my behind, and eat a good dinner. I'd love to nap this afternoon but the time still doesn't feel right for shuteye even if I'm super tired.