Yesterday, we biked just 10 miles and I was spent. Then I realized why. Sure, the high humidity contributed, but then I recalled I had given blood less than 24 hours earlier. Now, I've donated blood over 40 times over the years, but Monday's donation was by ALYX which in essence allows you to donate two units of red cells in just one visit. A machine separates the blood into plasma and red blood cells, and then pumps the plasma back into your body -- or in other terms, the pulp is retained and the juice goes back to you. But twice as many red blood cells are taken for transfusion. Of course, these are the cells that carry oxygen to the muscles, so that's probably why I was fatigued and light-headed.
Today we met Dave and Patti and biked the northernmost Cook County segment of the 60+ mile long Des Plaines River Trail, from Wheeling south.
I again wasn't 100% and had to cut the ride a bit short, doing only 19 miles through the magnificent forest preserves along the riverbank. This section included a portion of the river we canoed with the Des Plaines River Canoe Marathon in May, so we stopped at Dam #1 which we were required to portage during the race...
A post about the canoe marathon is
here. A stop in Glenview's Moon Doggies Restaurant for lunch allowed me to rest and refuel during the trip.
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