Solana Beach Train Ride

Distance = 82.95
Time = 6.07.12 (Ride time)

This is the second time I've done this ride. I can't find my write up from the first so I'll have a little more detail than I usually would.

I drove to Irvine, CA and parked at the Amtrak train station. We would ride out of Irvine and then catch the train to return to Irvine. I was meeting Elaine for the ride. She invited everyone around to join us, telling them that we were going to attempt the 100 miles for this route. Suzann and another woman joined us. But it ended up being just Suzann, Elaine and me for most of the ride. When we got to Pendleton Marine Base, I was starting to feel a little sick. After the base we went through a park area, it seemed like some kind of park anyway. I assumed the ocean was on the other side of some sand dunes because I saw people with surfboards going that direction. I have great deductive reasoning! (= There are bathrooms every 100 yards it seemed. We kept asking each other if we needed to go. When it looked like the regular bathroom schedule was going to end, I thought I should go. Just because that's how I am. So I did. And I was so sick, it wasn't funny. I knew I felt a little "icky." But this was too much. And we still had about 60 miles to go at that time. We started talking about the possibility of doing the shorter, 80 mile, ride instead. I thought after what I had just done in the bathroom that was a pretty good idea. I felt better but I felt a little dehydrated and definitely weak. I was slightly embarrassed because I'd never ridden with Suzann before and I didn't want her to think I was weak. Ego. I know. The ride is really beautiful. A lot of scenery along the ocean and such. Incredible! But I was focused on finishing. I hate that! We got to the 70 mile point, which is a turn off that most of the people we were around were taking. Why didn't I take it?? I wanted to do more miles than I'd done before. So I continued with Elaine and Suzann. It was a hilly and difficult 10 miles! I thought I might DIE! There was some confusion at the beginning about getting return tickets for the train. So I didn't have one. And because I was slowing us down, we were cutting our departure pretty close! As we got about 2 miles out, we devised a plan to get our bikes to the Uhaul trailer, get my ticket, and make the train. The line was long! Arrgh! But I did get the ticket and I actually got to the train platform several minutes before the train got there. I was exhausted and felt awful! Elaine took a nice photo of me nearly passing out in my seat. God was looking out for me though. A couple of men from our group were walking by and asked if anyone wanted half their sandwich. The train ride is about an hour long and I may have passed out if it hadn't been for that sandwich. I immediately felt better. Though I was definitely sick. It feels good knowing I can complete 80 miles on a bicycle when I feel like that. It helps me to know what I'm made of. Literally! lol But when it's happening, it sure does suck!