Day 4: tetanus shot time...

October 9, 2019

Other than the dog bite, the day was great

When the dogs saw me they took off like a shot; the woman called them back but it was for naught; one bit into my shin; and punctured my skin; forcing me off to urgent care to get a tetanus shot

So yeah, the day didn’t turn out the way I expected. I felt really good - I was into day 4 and my legs were getting into the ride. A quick stop at a coffee shop for some breakfast and then I found the Eastern Trail once again. I was all alone for 5 miles until I made the cutoff into “the dog incident”

7:30 and I get a great pastry and cup of coffee at an independent coffee shop in Saco

The eastern trail is all mine in the early hours of Maine

On my way through kennebunk, I was riding down a path, and up ahead was a woman with her dogs. They started to jump ahead in my direction and she called to them to return to her. They approached me at speed, I slowed and called out to them, “hey, boy!”in my friendliest voice. The friendly gesture was responded to by one of the canines circling around on the left and taking a bite out of my calf. “OUCH!” I shouted and the dogs returned to the woman. She apologized and started hitting the dog. “Don’t hit the dog! What are you doing?” I yelled. She apologized again and said the dog was up to date on its shots. “It doesn’t matter, ‘trust but verify’ - I have to get a tentanus shot”. So I head off to a walk-in clinic, but that’s doctor is having knee surgery and they can’t do anything. So I head towards an urgent care, but they can’t do it because it’s has to be called in to the police. They want me to go to a hospital about 7 miles north. I ask if there are any health care facilities south (since that’s the direction I’m headed). They respond it’s not one of their networks, but I can go if I want to.... so I go, get the shot, then I have to pick up antibiotics. Ugh. What a mess.

Oh, and I think I dropped a bunch of f-bombs at the woman. No, scratch that - I definitely did.

My 10:00am pic, from the inside of an urgent care facility, thanks to a woman who could not control her dogs and one bit my calf

I made it to Perkins cove, which is in Ogunquit, and just off the beaten path. It has a hand-operated drawbridge for fishermen to get their boats out of the basin. The area is right on the coast and has cafés, lobster shacks, and weathered buildings.

Then it was on Cape Neddick. Here, I skirted the coast, and was overjoyed to find the wind was really blowing. But not in my face. At my back. And nearly directly directly at my back. The waves were kicking up and I was flying along the coast in my tallest gear (it’s a 30x13 so it’s like I’m riding the TdF).

Heading into Long Sands Beach, the wind was coming from the NE and I was heading SW. it was nearly directly at my tail - most of joys, and it was blowing hard! Go, boy, go!

In York harbor, I skirt along the harbor and then find the wiggly bridge and cross over into Steedman woods.

I crossed the “rickety bridge” in York Harbor. It led into Steedman woods and I had t walk the bike about 1/4 mile since there wa no riding

1:00 I rolled over the drawbridge (after waiting about 10 minutes for a sailboat to pass) into Portsmouth, NH. Welcome to my second New England state. I made it through Maine. I checked in to my hotel, then walked the 1.5 miles into town.

Portsmouth had two surprises in store:

1. Talking to a shopkeeper about my plans to battle the rain to Newburyport tomorrow (about 25 miles in the rain) and he mentioned there’s an airport shuttle that goes to south station in Boston and leaves at 9:00 and 11:00. And, for only $11.99. Score. Way to beat the rain.

2. I have dinner at flatbreads pizza, and had a great pizza cooked in a clay wood-fired oven. And two glasses of old vine Zinfandel. A great end to the day.

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Today's ride: 48 miles (77 km)
Total: 230 miles (370 km)

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Steve Miller/GrampiesMore to the point, a. Do you have the contact info for the dog owner and b. Can you verify the rabies vac info of the dog? This is always one of our biggest fears ( dog bites) when on tour. Dodie, in particular, is really frightened by loose dogs.
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5 years ago

Paul MulveyNo - I was too angry and just shocked by the whole ordeal. Later on, the hospital had to make a police report and the PD was going to try and see if they could find the owner. From what the officer said, the demeanor of the dog owner suggested she was being truthful since she was so apologetic (not sorry enough to not have let it happen in the first place, though). In hindsight, I should have gotten the info, and I will be looking for halt spray to carry that again. I used to carry Halt! and then found I never needed to use it. Once bitten, twice defended, right?
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5 years ago

Gregory GarceauHi Paul,
While on my tour in Arizona last year, I also suffered an injury. I don't know about you, but I felt like a real bad-ass riding up to the emergency room doors on a loaded bicycle.

Interesting that they wouldn't treat you without a police report. I didn't think much about it at the time, but while I was waiting to be treated for my shoulder laceration, a policeman came out of nowhere and started asking questions about my incident. At the time I thought he just happened to be there and was simply making conversation.
After reading your story, I'm going to have to assume the hospital called him in to investigate.
One more thing:

I'm definitely enjoying your gimmick
Of starting each day with a limerick
One rarely, if ever
Sees something so clever
Yes, I think it's really slick.
Reply to this comment
4 years ago

Paul MulveyTo Gregory GarceauI hope you don’t mind
That I think your comment most kind
I’d like to compose one for you
But as I sit here and stew
I can’t think of anything that springs to mind

Yeah, in retrospect I should have gotten the lady’s information. She was willing to give it I was just too annoyed at the whole thing to take it. I’m not a litigious soul to be frank. The wound wasn’t all that bad - I’ve had worse from my self-inflicted crashes. I just couldn’t believe it happened. My arm is just getting over the soreness from the shot. Now when I see the bill from the whole ordeal I may just wish I had taken the information...

Happy trails, Gregory!
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4 years ago