Relative Something

I’m suffering a major dose of withdrawal from the energy and activity of the bike trip. I want to talk with so many people that just a couple of days ago I was seeing everywhere I turned. There are all these precious people and so many opportunities to engage with them all week, that to suddenly have them removed creates quite a void. It’s unfair to my wife, but she just can’t replace the conversation potential that that many people provide.

There are also the riding comrades that for one week are plentiful and guaranteed. Now each of us fall into our individual schedules and concerns, and riding together becomes an exercise in organization and communication. I truly value the privilege of being able to ride with so many great people

Steve

Gary

Laura and Rich

Gary

Mary

I am experiencing some other lingering after effects of the trip. Those souvenirs I received from the biting bugs just may be mixed with bit of a reaction to poison ivy. I wasn’t really needing to scratch all that much Friday, and now suddenly, new itches are appearing. I already looked like I was suffering from chicken pox. I may be paying for becoming a bit careless about limiting my chances for exposure. It’s been a few years since I’ve experienced an outbreak and I guess I have grown less vigilant about avoiding suspicious locations. I did tell Rich that I wouldn’t search for geocaches with him because of the risk of poison ivy.

I don’t seem to be having a bad reaction yet, which is a big thing. The last couple times I was dealing with poison ivy, it became systemic and I would find reactions all over my body, not just at specific points where oil touched my skin. My doctor prescribed a steroid to conquer it those times. The time delay of my skin to react always frustrates me. I was a little unsure during the week because of all the bug bites, and honestly, I think all the ones I was wondering about did turn out to be from bugs. Then on the day after I get home, the first new blisters appear on my hand. I was wondering if the oil might be on my tent or bike or something that I have been handling while I was unpacking and putting things away.

Oh well, it is helping to take my mind off of the withdrawal symptoms I have been experiencing. Also, today offers its own new distractions: Happy Father’s Day all you dads out there!!