2010 July 17th:
Niko:
July 13th:
We got up and I went across the street with dad to JB’s for breakfast, and had a delicious breakfast buffet. On the buffet bar, they had: fresh scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, mini muffins, pineapple slices, watermelon slices, cantaloupe slices, pudding, and a few other syrup and gravy coated things I didn’t eat.
Dad paid the bill and went back to the room while I finished my food. I walked back to the room and began packing my stuff. I went to the ice machine that required special coins and filled my CamelBak, and returned to finish packing my stuff.
Dad’s music cord caused him trouble because the heat had melted the glue of his helmet’s rubber neck piece. Eventually, we were moving out and facing Zion National Park. Many awe inspiring Canyons adorned the roadside to Zion.
Our first stop was the visitor center for dad’s stamp. We saw the motorcyclists that stayed at our hotel last night, and ate at JB’s as well this morning, and talked for a short while. The parking lot’s odd shape made our hunt for the bike more interesting, and we were soon on the road through Zion.
There are two roads in Zion: one is for tour busses only and shows you almost all of the park, the other is for general traffic and cuts through a corner of the park and has a large tunnel that obscures the views. We took the latter road.
When we made the turn off, the road was abundant with dirt and gravel, and slowly got worse as we got farther up the road. About two miles in, I would’ve much rather been on that rocky dirt road at Great Basin than this road. Rough, jagged bits of pavement jutted out of gravel at carelessly cut angles, and were reaching scary tall obstacles.
I noticed I was in a rut that got closer and closer to the wall of rock to my right, so I pulled up onto the curb-high lip of pavement to my left, only to have my rear wheel decide to stay behind. The bike bounced, leaped, landed off angle, straightened out instantly, I began to put my feet out for balance, but the bike was tossed up and pinned my foot between the luggage and the ground.
I lay on my stomach facing back down the road and saw a car pulling slowly up and stopping. I tried to wiggle out from under my bike, but found it too difficult. The couple from the car ran up and lifted the bike enough for me to slide out from under it. I began to step away softly but found my right foot wouldn’t support my weight.
Dad had just pulled back around the corner and got off the bike as the couple tried to lift my bike. Dad told them not to worry about it and that he needed to find out if I was okay first. I was helped over to the side of the road, and I noticed then that a line of cars had begun stopping as far as I could see around the turn. Great, I was holding up traffic. Dad had moved my bike out of the way of the road. A ranger showed up and was informed of the situation.
We removed my boot and sock to see if there was any visible swelling. The woman from the car ran and got a cold pack and put it on my foot, which felt good. A construction guy had appeared and was asking if we could move on and keep traffic moving, completely oblivious to what had happened. After we explained that I couldn’t ride, the road worker got a little frustrated about our blockage.
There was a bicker between the ranger and the worker about the road quality, which my dad got involved in. I wore out the cold pack, so the woman kindly got another. I was asked if I needed an ambulance, to which I very reluctantly said yes. It came shortly after, and I was splinted and loaded up.
Inside the ambulance, the medic ranger set my foot, tested my feeling in my toes, started an IV drip, and took blood pressures. We headed to St. George Hospital and I talked with the ranger for the hour plus trip. At the hospital, I was rolled in and transferred to the hospital bed from the stretcher. I had six X-rays and was left alone as the doctor talked to a trauma foot surgeon.
I received my X-rays and was alone again until dad showed up many minutes later. The doctor came back in 30 or so minutes later, after I had changed out of my riding gear and into pajamas. I was told to stay off my feet for a week, so the swelling could go down.
I was splinted with a better, more comfortable splint and given crutches. I reminded dad that Evie was only a couple minutes away, and that I could stay there, and dad gave her a call as I hobbled to the waiting room and sat.
Evie was there in minutes, so I got in and dad loaded up the car and we both went up to Target so Evie could fill my prescription of Lortab while I stayed in the car and talked with Evie’s sons. When she got back, dad took off for home, and we headed to KFC/A&W for a bucket of chicken and root beers. Evie’s Jaguar had a flat, so she took care of the tire while we ordered food.
We got back to the house and ate, then talked for the rest of the night until I was tired from the day, and my meds. I retired in the room that the cat sleeps in. Goodnight and I apologize for the lag in posts.
July 14th:
I woke up at one this morning from my foot hurting, and took a pill. The pain still sat, so I got up and wandered on my crutches for a minute or two, until the pain went away, then I returned to bed.
I woke again at seven, and got up after a pill, and walked out to the living room. I ate a couple apricots, and Evie offered me toast and hard boiled eggs. She ended up making a couple egg salad sandwiches for me, which I was grateful for. I munched on apricots and talked with whoever was in the room at the time, for everyone was coming and going.
After a while I turned the TV to Ghost Hunters and watched the all day special for several hours, and ate probably 20+ apricots today.
Later, one of Evie’s sons showed me his BB gun, and let me fire it at cans and bottles. I found it enjoyable and hit most of my targets. His older brother then showed me his paintball gun and how it worked. We all watched some more TV, and had homemade burgers for dinner.
I decided to go to bed early tonight and crashed on my bed after taking my next pill. Have a nice night everyone, and no worries for my foot. This event is a part of my Voyage, and I take it with a smile.
July 15th:
I woke at 3:05 this morning in need of a pill, and made my same routine as yesterday. I got up and meandered about until my foot stopped hurting. I went back to bed and slept until five, took another pill, and got up to sit in front of the TV. I was too restless to try sleeping again.
I ate a handful of apricots, and had a bowl of cereal when everyone was waking up. People were in and out again, so conversation was spotty. The family Pomeranian, Keefer kept me company today. The dog was so small I could pick him up by his fur with one hand, and he wouldn’t flinch.
The day eked by, with not much in the way of eventful happenings, this was fine, because I was in a very chilled out mood. Evie made me a few turkey sandwiches which hit the spot and held me off for the day. Apricots had quickly become a staple for me when I was there because they balanced my digestion from my pills, and I had about 15 today.
Dad showed up and there was a flurry of activity at the house. Once my bags were packed, we said goodbye and hit the road again. It was so hot today in St. George, and we had the AC on full blast. It took many minutes to cool down from being in 115° weather.
We drove until we arrived in Richfield, Utah, and then pulled into the Holiday Inn Express there. Once unpacked, we started to walk to the Subway nearby. It did not take long for me to tire, however. Dad went to get the truck, and we looked around for other things instead.
We stopped at a Taco Bell/KFC and ate there. I had a leg/thigh and three soft taco supremes. We went back to the hotel and I was getting very tired. I bid you goodnight, and thank you for reading. *snore*
July 16th:
I woke well rested at roughly seven, and felt thankful that I had no BS in the early hours this morning. We went downstairs and ate a breakfast of cheese omelets, sausage patties, cinnamon rolls, raspberry horns, yogurt, a banana, and apple juice. We packed, and I squeezed into the truck.
We got on the road and our beautiful drive began with a 100+ mile stretch of forest, cliffs, and colored canyons with no amenities. After we got out of the no man’s land, we stopped for gas and something at DQ. I had a peach Julius, but discovered that I’m not fond of the Julius in general.
We continued down the road, and I commented on the gorgeous house in Avon, Vail, and the surrounding area. We went through the Eisenhower tunnel (3+ mile long tunnel through a mountain) and hit angry traffic coming into town.
When we got home, our neighbors helped get the bike out of the truck, and I went around the house and found that my fish died because my friend never fed him… it was kind of gross. Soon, my friend showed up to help unpack, and I scolded him about my fish. Dad and I went to eat at Qdoba while my friend took his cousin downstairs to play games.
My dinner was a large steak burrito with queso, salsa, black beans, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and lettuce. I even ate part of dad’s burrito. We came back to the house and I went downstairs (difficult task) and played games and talked with my friends. The night dragged on until the very wee hours when I passed out. Good night and Thanks for reading the Blog! Thanks to all of the wonderful people we encountered on our life journey!