Prologue - We Got As Far As Wertheim - CycleBlaze

Prologue

Starting at the End

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Since I'm not writing my travel journal in real time, I decided not to start at the beginning but at the end of our six-day tour, no suspense, no drama as to the outcome.

The tour was meant to be longer. We had planned to leave from the house door in Gauting in Bavaria and cycle to Kassel in Hesse where Janos used to live, for a visit with friends. The route was approximately 600 km and we expected to be gone for at least two weeks. But here we are back home after one week, an aborted trip. It's happened before which makes it all the more... what is the right word - discouraging, disappointing, demoralizing? More words go through my head like quitter, loser, failure. No, I'm not asking for sympathy or reassurance that I'm not any of those things. I know it's not my fault, but it does leave me with that loser feeling. It also poses the old question that I have been asking for the past ten years, am I too old for bicycle touring? So far the question was more or less rhetorical. But I'm not so sure any more.

It's not the pedaling. We loved our rides through the countryside, the day in the rain didn't really phase us, our birthday-in-kilometers ride didn't exhaust us. But darn it, I got sick again, and I'm sick of talking about it. It's the same old problem I had in Belgium in 2017, a urinary tract infection. On our four-week trip in Belgium we didn't go home when I got sick but just kept pedaling and visiting doctors, more doctors visits than I care to recall. That wasn't the solution. I didn't really get rid of the UTI until I was at home. (By the way, it was still an excellent tour in spite of my discomfort, I just posted the journal here.)

Now when we reached Wertheim, about the halfway point of our tour, it was obvious that I wasn't well and the symptoms weren't going away. Not wanting to repeat the Belgian experience, and since from Wertheim we still had decent train connections back to Munich, it seemed that getting a train home was the sensible thing to do. So here we are, feeling very out of sorts, not liking being at home at all.

I was able to see my doctor and everything is going to be fine... Really? We still feel up to touring but if I am prone to this kind of infection while on the road, that is not fine. But we are working on solutions. Not finished with touring quite yet.

Now more or less to quote from Alice in Wonderland, I will begin at the beginning and go on until I come to the end: then stop.

Our route - the recent tragic flooding was further to the west of us.

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Scott AndersonI’m so sorry, Suzanne. Such a disappointment for you two, and for us too. Tending to your health hardly makes you a quitter, loser or failure though - it show’s you’re wise enough to do the smart thing. Looking forward to reading about this one, too brief though it is - and the next one, as well.
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3 years ago
Kathleen JonesYa do what ya gotta do. How very frustrating though. I think you’ll find a way to keep going. Looking forward to reading more about this tour.
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3 years ago
Nancy GrahamOh woe!! Wise move to return home to tend to your health, but I know how disappointed you had to have been. You just keep doing what you must do, and maybe shortening rather than stopping your tours will be an option as well. I will be waiting to see your blog for this one. Do take care.
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3 years ago
Kathleen ClassenI started on page two and went backwards…we are so sorry this happened. So absolutely frustrating. You made the right call though…health trumps all. We are going to live vicariously through you for the length of your journal though. I really, really thought we would be in Europe this fall. Surprise! We are not. Fingers crossed for 2022. In the meantime we have your journal to enjoy. Thanks for taking the time to write it.
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3 years ago
Suzanne GibsonTo Scott AndersonAh, the next one... who knows when or where...
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3 years ago
Suzanne GibsonTo Kathleen JonesAnd ya go when ya gotta go... :)
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3 years ago
Suzanne GibsonTo Nancy GrahamWe are thinking about options, in the meantime the summer is passing...
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3 years ago
Suzanne GibsonTo Kathleen ClassenThanks, Kathleen! Sorry that your tour for this year had to be put on ice. Your previous tours have been amazing and also beautifully documented. Let's hope next year is easier.
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3 years ago
Graham FinchHi

I saw this article and thought you may be interested....

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/nov/06/cranberry-juice-wont-cut-it-utis-and-the-potential-for-repurposing-drugs
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2 years ago
Suzanne GibsonTo Graham FinchThanks, Graham! So very kind of you to send me the article. Very interesting, and well written as well. I guess you have to have a sense of humor if you are working with pee every day!
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2 years ago
Karen PoretTo Kathleen ClassenWe are in this very same situation ourselves, in 2023. Had a wonderful five week tour planned and everything ( and I do mean everything) has gone in the opposite direction of what we planned for. Like Suzanne, I will not post the specifics, but in no particular order, here in July of 2023, the “reasons why”..blood, biopsy, cancer, infusion therapy, rain, fall ( physical), psoas muscle, covid, theft. Because of these ordeals, I am living vicariously through Suzanne’s (old) journals now. It helps me to go to bed with a smile on my face and a dream of what we all enjoy—biking.
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1 year ago
Suzanne GibsonTo Karen Poret So sorry to hear about your misfortunes, Karen. I hope you are recovering and am happy that my journals could bring a smile and a happy feeling. Take care!
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1 year ago