Day 3 Ride of Hope.
I was back on the bike! Yes
The way out from Gothenburg from Astrid Lindgrens hospital is tricky, as I remembered from the previous two years if other groups were left to navigate the way, they would have wound up on the E20 Motorway. I set off first so as to give them instructions at the critical roundabout. A cycle/pathway runs underneath the approach to the roundabout and as you turn right seemingly heading down on to the E20 you are forced to stop and lift your bike onto the pavement and single file ride through a gap in the wooden fencing that is a barrier between the motorway and the houses on the other side. It was here that as I took off my helmet to remove the new buff that was squeezing my head like an angry octopus that I dropped my Garmin down the fenced-off slope to the pathway below where other cyclists traverse!!
I froze, looked at my cycle computers time and realised that the first group would soon be passing. I couldn't scramble down there and get it in case I missed them. Each group passed by and I waved and directed, constantly keeping an eye on the slope and searching ... I couldn't see the Garmin. It must have fastened in a tufft of grass, because it didn't bounce out across the path below ... But where is it?
When the last group was through I did scramble down the slope to the path, searching through the grass ... Finally I found it, no damage, not a scratch, and working too.
Thank the Gods! Up the slope, helmet on, Garmin on bike and off to catch up the middle group I was riding with today ... and ... Low and behold, who was waiting at the end of the Path? Andy, Are we gonna race all over Västergötland now in search of the others??? ;)
We did some good pacing, and soon enough we caught the first group. Andy didn't want to stop, but I think he misunderstood. This was my group, if he was expecting me to help him get back to the front he'd be better off doing it on his own, but as my group had a puncture, I kept him company for a while.
When we caught Mats W's group I let them go and stopped at the side of the road. I made a few phonecalls, to Billy and to Natte ... then to Gabriella who was at home. She asked me how it was going and I asked her to give the kids a hug from me. After we hung up I just rested at the side of the rode. Chilled out is perhaps a better word. I felt strong; Physically and mentally. I felt like what we was doing here was important, making a difference. As I watched the passing cars and the dark clouds gathering to the West I was snapped back to reality by a shuddering thought. Saturday Walle lost some fingertops. Yesterday, Tommy went down hard ... Today??
Tommy!? I rode with leaders Per Elmsäter and Tommy Ivarsson today. Yes Tommy, I forgot; The collarbone wasn't broken. Great news for him and us. So slightly shaken and not so much stirred, I now set off towards our first depot: Alingsås. I was in touch with the medic - Natte. Tommy rode at the back, Per took the head and I stayed right behind the group and kept a watching eye on the traffic behind. The weather was overcast but the rain was still holding off, for now.
Alingsås is a great depot. They called the day before and asked me if there was anything we would like to see at the stop. More than happy faces? Coffee would be wonderful. Andy always likes his coffee ;)
They produced the goods, and so far, the rain held off. This day last year saw us soaked to the bone.
We left Alingsås and headed North toward our next depot - Falköping and then it started ... a soft drizzle ... a medium drizzle ... a hard drizzle ... rain ... a downpour ... and from this point on with 90kms left the rain pounded us for the rest of the day; and when it wasn't pounding, it was pounding harder. I can imagine that sitting behind the wheel of your car doing 90km/h with the wipers going ten to the dozen and an ever present steam half fogging up your windshield, there's a big risk that you won't see the 12 or so nutters out cycling. I mean come on, what idiot in their right mind would go out on a Monday morning in this weather if they didn't need to right?
So with this in mind, I stayed 20 meters or so behind the group. Only moving forward to warn of turns etc. I spent so much time looking back behind me for traffic that my neck started to ache. If a car or lorry came, I'd check the road ahead to make sure there wasn't a hill coming up or a bend. Warn the cars to slow and take it easy and let our group know to keep it tight. Shoulder to shoulder.
Most drivers seemed to appreciate it and I waved or gave a thumbs up to all who slowed and waited for a better opportunity to overtake us. Some were, unfortunately, completely outstanding in their total lack of care and drove extremely close and carelessly. Waving angry fists ... and you have to wonder what they are so angry about? Having to slow down for 20 seconds? The fact that we're on the road at all??
or is it that they find it unfair that we were getting plenty of good exercise when they had to go to work? I guess I'll never know.
Laboriously we made our way to Alingsås. The rain was murderous and now the wind had picked up too. We stopped at the depot at Racerdepot but quickly decided to head over to McDonalds instead and use our free meal cards. Without a doubt the best McDonalds meal of the day*hehe*. The group chatted, warmed fingers and toes, wrung out their gloves and some local kids asked what on earth we were doing.
Funny moment was when we were finally ready to set off: Hanna S got a puncture.
We all stood huddled in the local petrol station and the everyone jumped as Per Elmsäter put too much C02 into her new tyre which exploded like a Smith & Wesson .38 going off.
I spoke with Per and Tommy and we decided to take the quickest route to the finish.
It was now obvious that the group was tired; They were quiet! As we now rode off for the final 30 kilometers in the rain and wind, I drifted once more to the back and thought again about what we were doing and why. New friendships were being made, bonded and cemented. These people, Magnus, Christer, Hannah, Chatrine, Hanna, etc, These Ride of Hope cyclists will never forget this day. Nor will I, neither the day, nor them.
Tomorrow we ride to Örebro! Can't wait.
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