Took a nice day ride (approx. 350 miles) on the Gold Wing on December 15th.
Went over into the Anza Borrego Desert and up into the mountains and then dropped down into Borrego Springs.
The Coastal Fires were underway in CA. so things were a bit smokey.
Box Canyon area below.
Montezuma Grade dropping down into Borrego Springs CA.
The ride took me from +100' below sea level up to 4000' then back down to 100' below sea level.
Beautiful downtown Borrego Springs
"Round and round we go"
Strangely I awoke the next morning very light headed and dizzy. Never having experienced this I was quite perplexed.....what the heck is going on? Had a 40 mile errand to run, so I took the bike. I was OK as long as I focused forward, but was not at all comfortable. I kept thinking the condition would go away but it got continually worse each day 24/7. Over the next week I had to really focus to even drive the car, and turning my head side to side (as in checking the rear view mirrors) made me dizzy. Walking was a challenge at times...occasionally I carried a cane.
The Airheads Agua Caliente Campout was coming and I planned on riding the /5 BMW out there.
A couple days prior I attempted a 2 block /5 ride to the hardware store and really had problems. I could barely keep my balance and could not look to the side while moving, as I would uncontrollably veer in the direction I was looking. At that point all bikes were put away as I would likely get into BIG trouble trying to ride. Wow....this was nuts.
MD care is quite a P.I.T.A. here in Yuma. I talked to my MD's nurse in Montana and she said to get to an emergency room. Well, my Wife was a nurse, so Blood Pressure was checked / pulse rate...all was OK....not an emergency in my eyes.
After 2 weeks I finally went into the hospital emergency room since there was no improvement....literally 100 sick, coughing, hacking people in the waiting room....nurse said about 5-6 hours to be seen. So much for the ER....way more expensive anyway....and my huge deductible insurance doesn't cover much of anything.
So off to a Walk in Clinic. Another room full of very sick people and a 2 hour wait.....off to another MD which was "accepting new patients".....next available appointment, January 23rd, 4 weeks out.....finally to another close by walk in...of course they do not accept my insurance carrier, but I can get in quick with only 2 people ahead of me.....finally!
Ends up I was diagnosed a Middle Ear Infection according to the MD....a big antibiotic hypo in the ass....giant horse pills twice a day....Musinex / Flonase was the treatment. I was expecting quick recovery, but here we are 3 weeks later and still a bit shaky, but recovering pretty good.....light headedness is gone and only minor dizziness when lying down.
I feel very sorry for those who suffer from continuing Vertigo...I never realized how debilitating it could be. I could hardly function at all....no way could I go out and do much of anything...staggering around like a drunk.
Airheads Last Chance Rendezvous
So the intelligent decision was made to drive the car to the Agua Caliente Campout. We packed for 3 nights / 4 days and off we went. Had a great time, only had a couple 7 oz. beers over the entire weekend due to the antibiotics I was taking....but who needs booze to have a good time!
The weather was the best I can remember from the 20 odd times we've gone....no wind and sunny...sunny....sunny! They had a typical turnout of probably 50 people throughout the weekend. Great food and camaraderie with old friends...and a few new ones.
Some folks left after day 2...some new folks came in....Darian went out on a big hike with some of our friends....I stuck close to camp and minimized my "staggering" around....lol.
The next 4 weeks will be busy......2 weeks in Hawaii to visit our daughter....1 week in Montana....then likely to Death Valley ..sadly probably in the car....but I hope to trailer a bike up there.
Due to being messed up I could not do the repairs on the sidecar I was planning. I'll attack that after we return from Death Valley if all goes well.
