Well the result wasnt what I had in mind, I had my first real encounter with Hypoxia, where the partial pressure of oxygen in the air isnt strong enough to allow it to pass through the membrane of the lung into the blood in suffient quantity. It usually doesnt occur below 10,000-12,000 feet but can occur at 8,000 feet – right where it got me.
Many things can effect the onset of hypoxia including alchohol, drugs, sleep depravation, dehydration, ear/sinus infections, stress. I hadnt had the best nights sleep and awoke to ride up mount lemmon which I have attempted before and now I would be doing it with friends – so there are two factors right there, sleep and stress.
I worked hard and Mount Lemmon gives you no rest, a continual climb for 21 miles to 8000 feet, I was hot even though the temperature was very cold (Still a lot of snow up there above 7000ft), and I had drank less than 1 bottle of water – dehydration. I fealt pretty good at 21 miles and 8000 feet, though breathing was labored – at that point in the ride there is a brief, 1m or so, downhill section – so at this point I was doing no physical exercise and hence my heart rate dropped and I began to feel like crap. Then I started to ride uphill again, heat rate increased, breathing increased and I was ok again.
I had another brief downhill and a steep uphill section to go – 1.5m from the Cookie Shop, when I figured out what was going on. I looked at my fingernails and they where very white, I knew immediately what was going on and what I had to do, I had to get down, and get down fast. So this meant a brief down and short climb, all was good, but from there it was 21 miles down and freezing cold.
My friends were all waiting for me at the top, having long sinced passed me, we had a sag vehicle that had just checked on me so they knew I was only 1.5m to go. I had no cellphone (battery died) so I was not able to contact them, they would no doubt be worried but it would have been foolish for me to attempt to go further or to even wait at that altitude, I had to head down.
I got about 1.5 miles before I knew I had to stop. I got stopped, got unclipped from the bike and managed to slide off the bike onto the ground, having the foresight to make sure I was head down hill.
I was in trouble at this point, my lips, fingers and toes started to tingle, then my whole face was tingling, vision started to go and and my hands were pulsing. Someone stopped to help but with no room in his vehicle could not get me down, my speech was slurred, I looked and sounded drunk and was not really articulating what I wanted very well at all.
I crawled to the barrier and raised my legs, waiting and hoping for a truck to come along and get me the hell off the hill, nothing, crickets, not a soul to be seen.
I was beginning to feel a bit better and decided I needed to get myself down the hill, every bit helps. I got up and got on my bike and managed another 1m or 2m before the whole thing happened again, again I waited and hoped, nothing. On I went again, feeling a litle better each 1m, no more laying down but having to stop and rest, and that sun fealt warm when I did. Another guy stoped and gave me some water and gatorade, nice guy – he wanted to pull his baby out of his car seat and have his wife hold the child to get me and my bike in – I wasnt going to allow that and left him with my thanks. I was at 4000ft before I fealt I was back to something resembling normal, although still very cold.
That was a scary ride down I can tell you.
Now I need to wait till it is a little warmer and do it again, afer a good nights sleep and making sure I drink more – just to see if that is my physiogical limit or if I was just having a bad day.
