April 24, 2015
Braidwood, NSW, Australia
Easter Monday, ya that long ago, I was pedaling through rain and down a busy, holiday 2 lane road on my way from Jindabyne to Cooma and a Warmshowers host. Adrian had responded to my Rain Delay note the day before saying if I needed a lift, just give him a call. The day before I'd only made it 5 kms to a sweet cafe with a park next door. Outlook was for heavy showers all afternoon. Don't ya know, it never even drizzled after I out up my tent around 2 pm. That's okay. I needed a rest. Been feeling a bit tired. And besides it was Easter Sunday!
So here I was, Easter Monday, with all the cars driving back to Sydney. And I get a flat tire! Mind you, I think I was riding on it for 20 kms. Couldn't figure out why mybtrike was all of a sudden pulling right. Checked everything except that. I never get flat tires so I don't think about it. So I'm cold and wet on a busy road with no shoulder about 15 kms outside Cooma. I'd ridden 45 kms already. "Adrian? Can you come pick me up?" Sure. If he hadn't offered, I wouldn't have called. WS folks do so much for us already, I wouldn't think to ask for more. But since he offered...
And one night turned into three. Monday night Adrian took me along to a Hash run...I walked...and dinner. Tuesday night we drove 1.5 hours to Canberra to his fencing class at the University. I got to suit up:). It's a physically and mentally exhausting sport. I can attest.
In between he fixed this and that on my bike and my gear. What a handy guy! We cleaned my chain and tubes, aligned my front end (again), etc. Finally, Thursday morning I hit the road northward. A late start because I knew where I wanted to damp 35 kms down the road in a town park. Next morning, I was dragging to get up and packed. Just didn't feel up to par. Still rumbly tummy for a couple of weeks now. And fatigue. I was pedaling and crying. No energy. Not feeling myself, but not real sick. Adrian had offered that if I needed anything, just call. "Adrian? Can you pick me up?" Sure. And he got me right in to see a doc and get some antibiotics for giardia, which I thought I had. I stayed for 10 more days getting tests done with no specific diagnosis. Some times the fatigue was so bad all I could do was lay around. No energy. Then lightheadedness. Dizzy spells. Go figure. When I had 3 good days in a row, it was time to go.
During that stay I got to go up into the mountains and see the Nordic Ski Center and help spruce it up. Got to see Mt Kosiuszko, the highest point on this continent. No energy to climb it though:(. Got a tour of the area and one of the dams.
During the last couple of days at Adrian's, he got a note from a young German fellow that crashed in a large hole up in the mountains on his bike and was being brought by ambulance to the Cooma hospital. He needed a place to stay when he got out. We went down to the hospital to see if we could help. He was okay after they stitched his lip, so he came home with us. Adrian was able to arrange for someone to bring down his broken bike and gear. That saved a trip! He's hoping to replace his front fork and continue on his way. He couldn't have landed at a better place to get everything done. Thank goodness for Warmshowers! Adrian, I can't thank you enough for everything you did to make me feel comfortable and at home!
Livin' the life,
BagLady
Facebook: Kathryn Mossbrook Zimmerman
