Go With the Flo

Blog Post: Saturday, March 14, 2009: The Last leg of Conga

I was sure I was going to die!! It was a monsoon. Can not ever remember it raining this hard before ever in my life!! Never mind on 2 wheels. I was frozen to death! I honestly did not know how I would survive. it didn’t seem possible. My body was vibrating, I knew I was going into hypothermia, I was soaking wet and even my boots were full of water. I had 3 layersI had to do it!!!

HTBD!!  (HAD TO BE DONE) They were waiting on me…  all of my new friends from all over north America and Canada.
All my new friends from America and Canada were waiting for me. 6000 miles almost!! I only had another to 60 to go. I had my oldest brother on one side of me, watching every move I made. My younger brother was riding behind making sure no one would get in the way. They were protecting me.

Behind my brothers was a woman, I had never met in person before, only on my Vancouver Island Lady Riders Forum. She had been there to greet us at our warm up spot at Timmies in Nanaimo, just after getting off the ferry. I saw this strange woman walking towards me with a huge grin on her face underneath an umbrella. We hugged and laughed but no words were spoken at first. I knew who she was and she was exactly how I had imagined her. LD is her forum knick name. She changes the meaning of her name all the time on forum depending on how she is feeling. Sometime it could mean little donut . Today in my eyes she would be LITTLE DARLING, INDEED!
It is funny really I have been trying to connect with Margaret (LD) for a couple of years now. She is also a biker but her job is a mortician, which keeps her on the leash as she calls it. Good Lord, was I going to need her??  She doesn’t get a lot of riding time in because of this job. LD has a great sense of humor and is great with words, writing stories, giving advice, and a big supporter of this ride that I was just about to finish. I had had spoken with her many times on msn while on my travels giving updates along the way. I didn’t however, dream that our first meeting would be like this. I could see her van through my rear view mirrors her wipers were slapping back and forth, as she tail gunned us on your trek home.

I did feel a little safer, knowing that no one could get in our way, with my slow riding. My brothers and my friends they were with me… I had to keep going. If they could I would! I had no option.. The speed limit was 80, I am sure I was doing 20. I was vibrating so badly. In the 19 days that I had been traveling.

I remember thinking for the first time, I wanted this trip over. Done with! How could I keep going? The tears were rolling down my face and made it harder and harder to see. Not to mention I could not see through the rain, but now the stinging in my eyes from the tears were making it worse. I was starting to feel sorry for myself, which made it worse. The more I thought the worse it got. The more I cried. I was loosing it. People do not realize, what happens to me when I get cold. They don’t get it. Wasn’t there something I could do??

When I was younger, I ended up hospitalized over it, and I knew i would probably drop off my bike soon… something had to change… soon! Things started flashing through my mind. I wanted my babies, my children, I needed to see them. I wasn’t even sure if they had been following me on this great adventure. Would I be around to tell them all about it? I wanted to see them again. I needed a hug from them. It’s okay mommy! I wanted to see my family again, the rest of them. My mommy.. I wanted a hug!! I wanted to be warm. All of a sudden Carl pulled up beside me and said…. You okay Sis???? I looked at him and started to bawl….NO…NO I AM NOT!! I can NOT DO IT!! Carl, help me!!! I can’t, I am scared!!!  I yelled it!!! He rode beside me, and had a mean look on his face… “YES YOU CAN!” He yelled, “YES YOU CAN….. YOU ARE THE IRON WOMAN… YOU JUST RODE ACROSS AMERICA!!! YOU CAN DO IT!!” Of course he had to yell in order to hear him over the motor and also so that it would sink it. He knew now I was LOOSING IT!!

Moments later off to the right side of the highway, I glanced over and saw a Spyder, a trike. There is only one Spider. For a moment, a small moment I had a smile on my face!! Spyderman… Spiderman… can do anything a Spider can, OMFG! He did tell me, Come HELL OR HIGH WATER he would be there when I came home. It was both hell and high water at that moment!!

Thumbs up!! Honking horn… smile…grin… “Wanna go for coffee Flo!!”
Vibrating and trying to smile I said, “No Spydy, if I stop, I will drop!!” Okay he said, “Lets ride!!!”

I couldn’t give up now!! But how was I to do this!! I always felt safe with Spyderman tailgunning too. For a short while I got it together in my  mind, that I wasn’t going to go sliding, or dropping of my bike in fear, as my body turned hard and tense. I had to say I made it all the way home. Only 60 miles to go!!! I’m pretty sure I was under 20 miles per hour now. I can never remember the skies opening up like this before. I was bawling like a baby, just no one knew it through all the rain.

All of a sudden…I looked at the sky, and I saw a hole where there was a spot of blue sky!! I started to throttle up….more throttle…it felt the faster I went the bigger that blue hole in the sky got! Faster, faster, faster…..I was doing it, when all of a sudden, my bro pulls up beside me and said….Sis….slow down, you are going to kill yourself, you are almost there!!!! I slowed down, not realizing just how fast I was going.  The sky was getting brighter and brighter, and Spiderman, pulls up as we enter Courtenay, 30 miles from home now… Coffee Flo??? Pull into the Chevron!!! No I can’t, if I stop, I will drop!!! I wanna go home!! He said…I said pull over!!! You NEED TO STOP!!! I pulled in the gas station vibrating like an unbalanced washing machine. Stopping was horrible, but when I stopped and looked up, there were friends, there with a welcome home banner, a warm cup of hot choclate to greet me!!!

Spyderman says… I have some good news for you! What is that I asked him? You made it!! I did not!! Yup you are done, I am riding it home from here for you, and he did!!! At first I didn’t want to give in, but I did, we had a very emotion visit with everyone, and I rode home in Miss Fancy’s car, with the seat warmer in it. Someone gave me a big sleeping bag and there big sneakers.. Life was good again!

Spyderman told me with tears in his eyes as he delivered the Queen, which I so hated at that moment, that in his 25 years of riding, it was the most emotional he had ever been to do with riding. I knew it was for me, and I thanked him from the bottom of my heart! Spyderman has been on every Conga, except the IV only in Spirit. I shouldn’t say only, as Spirit Riders are equally as important!! I never got back on my Queen for over a week! I was scared shitless of  her!!!