Up and Over - Day 2

 Today we leave Kimball SRA and head for Broken Arrow CG at Diamond Lake. The original route went up and around Crater Lake coming out the North entrance, but the road is still covered in snow. We will have to take Hwy 62 to Union Creek then head North up Hwy 230 toward camp. (note I said UP and an extra 15 miles).

I woke this morning with my left knee in pain. I pushed myself hard the day before. I dressed, got myself out of the tent and  as I stood up pain shot through my knee. "Crap" I though, this just can't be happening. I came on tour to ride to prove to myself that I'm back, that I beat cancer and I'm my old (new) self again. Well, so much for that idea, a failure after only one day. OK, maybe it's not as bad as you think, maybe once you get warmed up the knee will be fine.

We buttoned up camp and headed out. The terrain was fairly flat, so I did a lot of spinning to get warmed up. The landscape was green and lush, lots of cattle grazing, with snow capped mountains to gaze upon.

 

Here we go the three biker chicks ...... on our way to Diamond Lake!  Only 56 miles to go.

 It wasn't long before we started climbing towards Crater Lake. The pain was getting worse. I had to get off and walk some of the stepper hills. Walking hurt and I couldn't bend my knee. "Holy-Moly" this is not good. I got back on ole' blue and tried again.

This is a pull out where you can look down into the ravine with it's out cropping of giant rocks. It was not long after this stop I had to make a decision. Keep pushing and risk more damage or quit and get it on ice.  Linda went on ahead to let the SAG know to come and pick me up. I started walking and it wasn't long before Ruth & Gary came to my rescue. I tied a small bag of  ice around my knee and downed some more Ibuprofen. So that was it I would be riding the rest of the day. I couldn't ask for better care or greater company.

Met up with the group at Annie Creek, which is the south entrance to Crater Lake.

Time for a little snack break and some picture taking.....How about that snow! We won't mention those snow mosquitoes. 

I'm getting a lesson in SAG operations. Ruthie's got her clip board, checking everyone off so we don't leave any one unaccounted for. My job, as we pass riders, is to check for thumbs up or thumbs down. Up is good, down need help. Best of all I get to cheer everyone on. Ya, Good job, you can do it!

The riders have a long, hot, up hill to peddle. We wait at this over look with water, bug spray and sun screen. Did I mention it's HOT! and the Mosquitoes are thirsty.

While we wait.... this is what Mount Mazama once looked like before it blow it's top and became Crater  Lake.

Here they come....Hot, tired and bitten.    Where's the bug spray?


Charlie

Bruce and Glenn

Leslie on her first tour .... Looking Good!

 

Ann on her low rider

 

Linda chugging down ice cold Gatorade.

 

Shirley looking strong!

 

Rafael and Steve the red team eating red licorice.

Mt Thielsen and it's all down hill to Diamond Lake ....... and camp at Broken Arrow Campground




The palace is up, laundry done and a hot shower taken. We're off to have pizza for dinner!



Hanging out around the campfire....where's the marshmallows?  My knee's still on ice and I think I've emptied a bottle of ibuprofen.  But, what a great day this has been .... Life is Good!

Cancer VICTORY Tour!!! Day 1

They came by train, car and caravan, thirty two riders, ready for the challenge of the Mid-Valley Bicycle Club's Loop Tour 2011, "View of the Lakes". 

I how ever was there to celebrate life, mine.

This is my "Cancer Victory Tour" 

We converged at the fair grounds, in Klamath Falls, riders off loading some of their gear to the Tour Sag's before we headed out, meandering along the bike path, as we wove our way out of town, to the west side of Klamath Lake.

 

Meeting up with the Sag.

,

A once beautiful resort - Lake Shore Inn

All along this side of the lake were fragrant lilacs and rhododendrons in bloom. Oh, just breath in, did you get a whiff? Ah....

A group of riders heading around the lake.

 

Klamath Lake

One of many sailboats on the lake.

As we start climbing, leaving the lake behind, we're greeted by the towering pines as we head to the summit of Doak mountain elevation 4776.

 Smile, we made it up the first summit!

Wahoo!

Our first town, Fort Klamath, after a scenic ride through rich, green pasture land, dotted with  herds of cattle. Birds singing their songs as they preached on fence post along the way.

After grabing an ice cream bar, I spent some time visiting with this couple who were spending the day  traveling the back roads around the area on motorcycles. They had just left the park where we will be camping tonight and said it was a beautiful, well maintained campground.

We chatted about Fort Klamath and it's history. They asked if we had seen the original fort, or that the post office had been established in 1879.  The Fort grounds are now a museum and the only evidence remaining, flag pole, parade ground and the graves of 4 Modoc Indian leaders along with a replica of the fort guard house. We hadn't, but I found a link with the history of the Fort  and some photos.

Not far down the road we encountered an organic grocery, brakes on, u-turn, for a quick stop. It seems others had the same idea. How refreshing to find a great little food market on our way to camp. A few items purchased, and we're ready to push on.

Across the street from the market stood this large, strange building. Old hotel, boarding house? we could only guess. I wish there had been more time to explore, I could see some great photo possibilities. 

A headwind greeted us as we started out for Kimball SRA but as we turned toward camp tailwind.....

We get tents set up, sleeping bags laid out, next is dinner.

Candis and Joellen happy campers.

Ruthie fixing strawberries for our group meeting tonight.

After dinner we took a walk up to the headwaters of the Wood River. The water, cold and clear, flows out from under the rocks.

We couldn't stay long the skitters were hungry .... Time for bug spray!

Group meeting to go over any changes in route, problems and then introductions and how many loop tour we have done.  We had brand new 1st timers and old timers with 28. I fell in the middle with 14. We have a fun group, tour will be a blast as always.

Time for strawberries and Ruthie's homemade cookies!  Oh Ya!

Good news .... Bad news

 Well, I know it has been a while since my last post. I've had some major decisions to make. My post op appointment  yielded good news and some bad. The good news, I'm healing up nicely from the surgery. I'm all most back to my old self.  The pathology report showed Endometrioid  Adenocarcinoma stage2b grade 3. Twenty three lymph nods were negative as well as ovaries, fallopian tubes both negative. All great news! 

Now for the not so great news. The cancer invaded the cervix to a depth of  1.6 cm out of 2.0 cm max wall thickness and the cancer is aggressive.

OK....so what does all this mean. First surgery did not totally take care of the problem. Follow up treatment will be needed. Dr Dotters felt that radiation therapy was a must, because of the aggressive nature of this type cancer it would likely return to the cervix area. It was also recommended to sandwich the radiation with chemotherapy to kill any cancer cells that might have escaped and are hiding that the radiation would not get.

Wow,  radiation OK I can do that.....I can see that's a no brainer.  But, Chemo No No No! Please No! I need to think. We set up consultations with both the Radiation and the Chemotherapy Doctors so I could get my questions answered. I had time to think and do some research.

Decisions .... What to do now!

All Points Bulletin

The moment we have all been waiting for....finally news from the Pathology lab. It's been one week and a day since the surgery, but it seems like forever. The good news they only found a few cancer cells outside of the uterus and in the cervix. No big red flags. I have a follow up appointment on the 16th with Dr Dotters, so we'll see if I'll need any follow up treatments and what she recomends at that time.

I got my tummy salve today....it's suppose to help with healing the incision. Looks loaded with good stuff, organic Calendula, Comfrey, Vitamin A & E ,organic olive oil and beeswax. Thanks Sis.