Goodbye Bike Trip (at least for awhile)

The speedy recovery for which we hoped has yet to come to fruition. I arrived in Sterlin, CO by vehicle about a day ahead of the group. I curled up in a hotel bed and barely moved until chec-out time yesterday. We were hoping that I'd be completely healed and ready to ride when the group rolled into town at about 1pm. Before we re-attached the trailer to my bike, I conquered my psychological fear of repetition and went for a little test ride around the parking lot, only to find that I cannot put weight on my right arm (the arm that was pinned between the guardrail and the rock). Implications? I cannot steer with that arm, only manipulate its position for better balance while steering with my left hand; and I cannot use my back brakes. I feel fine taking the risk and continuing with the trip. Nothing else really makes sense to me. But the team would prefer that I reach full recovery before rejoining them. (I think they just like sleeping in later while I'm gone!) They were good enough to take another half rest day yesterday afternoon to help me decide what to do at this juncture. Today, Andrea's mom will come pick up us women and we'll drive with our bikes back to Sioux Falls. From there, my parents will retrieve me and I'll return to Minneapolis until I'm functional again.

This is an extremely difficult decision for me. I'm very upset to leave this trip, especially this next portion between Nebraska and Minneapolis, the promise of which clinched my original decision to ride the whole trip. And I'll miss meeting and conversing with people across this distance. I will miss our times with churches. And of course I will miss the team. I could barely stand a day apart from them. What will this next while hold?

--emily