Day 5: Leesburg, VA

Date:            July 13, 2019
Distance:        28 miles(then 12 by car)
Average Speed:   9.6 mph
Maximum Speed:   23.9 mph
Feet Climbed:    1089
Day Trip:        Washington,DC to Leesburg, VA

Di is fine.  Let's get that out of the way right now.  She is feeling much better and is comfortably asleep back at the Colonial Inn.  We are staying another day in Leesburg because Di has been advised not to ride for a day or two.  This advice comes from the doctor at Inova Loudoun Hospital where Di was taken by ambulance yesterday. She had an eloctrolyte imbalance, but nothing a few liters of intravenous fluid couldn't fix.

Okay, now that your minds have been put at ease about Di's health, we can get on with how the day unfolded.

The day began innocuously enough with breakfast in the room while we watched the women's Wimbledon final.

What could be more innocuous than oatmeal?

Di worked on our route during breakfast

Yesterday had been a tough day of riding so we slept until 9am and didn't start our ride until 11:30. It was already hot (ominous music in background).

Leaving the Hampton on a hot, sunny day

We found our way to the Curtis Trail, which is a well maintained and scenic trail on the outskirts of D.C.  I saw that Di was often riding on the wrong side of the path and when I asked her about she said it was so she could ride in any shade that she could find.  She said the sun was taking its toll on her (ominous music again).  

The Curtis Trail was a treat to ride

We rode slowly because it was hot and we only had 38 miles to ride today, so there was no rush.  We stopped often to rest and get shade whenever we could.

This runner jumped in to photobomb

The Curtis Trail brought us to the Washington and Old Dominion Trail. This trail goes right through the town of Leesburg, so we could relax and not worry about getting lost.  Unless, of course, the trail was closed and we needed to take a detour.

Eh, what can you do?

We successfully found our way through the detour by first using our great navigational senses and then by asking for help when that didn't work out. The W&OD trail was also beautifully maintained and a pleasure to ride.  The trail is very popular and it was great to see so many cyclists, runners and walkers out enjoying the day.  The only negative about the trail is there is very little shade, so you are always in the sun (that music again).

Scene from the W&OD

Another scene from the W&OD

At about 3:00pm, Di said she needed something to eat. We didn't have many options because the restaurants in Sterling all seemed to be closed, but we finally found one that was open, Taste of Hyderbad.  I ordered the buttermilk chicken curry with naan bread and Di got chicken over rice with a side of chickpeas. My meal was great and I ate every morsel.  Di had started complaining of not feeling well as soon as we had entered the restaurant and she was unable to eat any of her meal.  I went next door to the mini-mart and bought her a Gatorade, but she even had trouble drinking that.

I'm in this picture because Di looked too unwell

We stayed in the restaurant for quite a while hoping Di's condition would improve, but instead of getting better she only worsened.  Eventually she stated that it would be impossible for her to ride on and some other means of transportation would have to be arranged.  I called AAA, hoping that their roadside bicycle assistance would actually be of assistance, but apparently they only assist bicycles and not people. If our bicycle was broken, then they would come and repair it, but if the cyclist is broken, then you are on your own.  Di and I discussed calling bicycle shops to ask for help and even a towing service to tow our bikes to Leesburg while we took a taxi. 

It was at this time we met Scott.  Scott was seated next to us and overheard our discussions.  He was eating his meal but stop to say, in a rather serene voice, "I can take you to Leesburg."  "Are you going that way?", I asked.  "No", he said, "but its no problem."  He then when back to eating his meal.  Di and I looked at each other and wordless agreed that we would quite graciously accept this miracle that had come our way.  We struck up a conversation with Scott while he continued eating his meal and he and I discovered we had a lot in common.  I really enjoyed Scott's attitude about life which, like many of us, becomes tempered by adversity.  When life throws something unexpected at you, you try to come out of it the best you can, and Scott has.

We loaded our gear and bikes into Scot's Suburban and he drove us to the Colonial Inn in Leesburg.  Thank you, Scott, there is no way Di could have ridden that distance.

That's Scott, who saved us

We checked into the Colonial Inn and went to our room and put on the air conditioning.  Di was feeling even worse now and just walking was becoming difficult for her.  She felt alternatively hot and chilled, nauseated, and had a terrific headache to go along with her fatigue.  (Remember, she is fine now, so keep in mind that any build up here concludes quite happily.)  Di felt she was getting worse and needed immediate medical attention, so I called 911.  The 911 operator asked a bunch of questions and then had me wet towels with cold water and lay them on top of Di to keep her body cool while we waited for the paramedics.  The paramedics arrived quickly (four of them) and immediately went to work on Di.  They thought she might be suffering from heat illness, but her astonishingly high blood pressure worried them enough that they put her on a stretcher and wheeled her to the ambulance.

Di was fed 3 liters of an intravenous saline solution, given medicine for her headache and nausea, and by 2:30am she was well enough to be discharged. Everyone at the hospital was extremely professional but also kind and sympathetic.  Dr. Malachais told Di she was low on sodium and that had been the cause of her problems.  He recommended some time off the bikes, potato chips, some rest and then we could continue our ride.  We then took our first Uber back to the Colonial Inn and immediately fell asleep.

Di leaves the hospital!

We arose at 8am and Di was feeling much better.  We went downstairs for breakfast and then returned to the room where Di promptly engaged in some medicinal sleep.

Di following doctor's orders

Not sure what we are doing today or tomorrow, so when Di awakens we will discuss our next plans.