Gut Check 2007 Flashback - Crack In a Can

In my Gut Check 2007 recap, I had made mention about not being in very good shape on Sunday morning.

In a recent discussion with Craig D. about this during the Lane Hogs serving of The Welcome Table he told a story that is wrought with painful, albeit triumphant memories.

Craig's side of the story is that when he pulled into Redfield to help support me and Mr. Bite to the finish, we already looked like hell before we even got on the bike. On the bike we went nonetheless. Just two short hours removed from a 232.5 mile day, we were back in the saddle. Just the thought of that should tell you how we felt. A "simple" 115 miles or so to go to the Minnesota border.

Craig said that following us out of the shoot we both looked terrible: bad cadence, couldn't hold a line, defeated look. It didn't help that I had a HUGE headache and every crack in the road that I hit felt like I fell into a crevasse that would have killed a mere mortal. Mr. Bite and I decided to stop every 15 miles or so due to the rainy conditions and the fact we were both close to being physically baked.

The first stop I remember well as we were wet, cold, and it seemed like the end. My wife , bless her heart, went to the store and got my favorite recovery drink for me: a quart of chocolate milk, which I gladly downed with a sandwich. I was hoping that and the 600mg ibuprofen horse pill that I get from the VA would do the trick in eliminating my headache. 15 miles later, at stop number two, it wasn't to be. I still had the headache, and it still was a son-of-a.....

Alas! Craig, my wingman, my brother-in-arms, pulled out an Amp Tall Boy and said "Drink this" without giving me a choice. I drank as instructed. He did the same with food. "Take; eat" (sounding a bit like a Sunday Communion at church!). I ate as instructed. After a short rest, back on the bike we went. It wasn't but 2-3 miles down the road when I looked at Mr. Bite and said, "Dude, my headache is GONE!"

It was a new lease on the day! I give as much credit to the all powerful Amp, affectionately known now as "Crack in a Can", as I do to anything else in finishing this ride.

While the ONE Amp got me going in my quest to finish, each of the following THREE Amp Tall Boys played an important part in my completion of the final mileage. That's right folks: FOUR Amp Tall Boys in the last 100 miles or so. Guess what? Unless it becomes a "banned substance", it will be ON the packing list as required drinking this year on the Gut Check.