The Crash and The Journey Back

Today's destination was Mill Mountain.  Not the hardest climb in town, but this needed to be done.  There are two "road" ways up - the new road and the old.  Today I chose the less steep, but longer new road.  There are several off road routes up....  will try those in the future.  The catch with them is the trails are narrow and the cost for going off trail the wrong direction could be high.  I also am very slow and have trouble getting on and off my mountain bike; and the trails have been very busy of late.  I made the climb in 24 minutes and 45 seconds.  I didn't stop though.  3 minutes, 2 seconds slower than the last time I did this route (April 2017). I was thrilled that it was shady for the most part because frankly it was hot in the sun! Getting back down the mountain was a tad unnerving...  I chose the old road because of the vehicular traffic.  There's a lot of tree debris and moss on the old road, so I ba...

Riding in the warmer months is hard enough when you're 100%.  Riding in the warmer months when you're hitting about 75% on a good day is hard too.  But when it's 75-80 degrees and the humidity is between 80-95%, it truly sucks. I'm trying not to complain since last year I never turned a wheel in the summer heat.  I've made an effort to get out of bed early two weekends in a row and get my rides in.  Each time I eclipsed 20 miles.  Today I just couldn't do it.  I think I wound up with 18.3.  I just didn't want to sit on the trainer in the stagnant, warm basement air; so up and at it! I slept 30 minutes longer last night; my dog woke up before I left, so I took him to potty.  As soon as he and I walked out on the deck I questioned my sanity.  It was stifling.  The air thick, hot and humid.  I am bound and determined to get back to where I was on the morning of 5/19/18 before Rocky Branch Road broke me; but I'm also realistic and l...

Time is flying...  the heat and humidity have arrived.  I certainly didn't miss riding in these conditions last year, but I wouldn't want to break a hip again. Let's see - June 23rd, I went for a ride from home and included Old Mountain Rd.  It's a short, "shallow" climb in the direction I rode it this time.  I enjoyed it, made it just fine, but was a bit alarmed at the condition of the road in the right hand sweeping turn at the bottom of the hill.  Having had a good ride that day, two days later, on Tuesday evening, I decided a short ride going as hard as I could was in order.  This was in retrospect a stupid thing to do.  The road I chose, I've ridden dozens of times; but this time trying that hard on the steady climb of it caused me to have some bad hip pain.  It was as if my leg did not want to hold me up when I got up to go to work Wednesday.  A muscle relaxer and some Aleve plus 3 days off the bike helped resolve the issue.  I f...

I've been too busy to blog.  Either I've been at work, working around the house, walking or riding.  When it's nice out and you spent the entirety of last summer inside, you go out as much as the weather allows.  So let's catch up on a few things. First - Chris Froome - ouch, damn.  I can totally sympathize with the hip fracture, but that man is brutally injured.  All these "experts" who say he will be "competing again in six months" are living a pipe dream.  I realize he's a pro athlete with access to all sorts of rehab centers, trainers, physicians, drugs, supplements (yea those), etc; but fact remains he's a human with bad orthopedic trauma.  I finally saw Carmichael Training post a realistic view that mentioned all the muscle atrophy, the loss of endurance, etc that one goes through when you're not able to perform normal routine things and train.  It's a safe bet that Froomey will be back on a bike, but I wager to say he will ne...

One reason I like riding my road bike is because you can ride right from your front door. However today I wasn’t in the mood for stop signs and stoplights, so in order to get away a bit I drove to Vinton parked at a elementary school and accessed the parkway.  I love riding the Blue Ridge Parkway.  I had a goal in 2018 to start riding sections of it with the goal of riding its entire length eventually.   That plan is on hold for now. Driving to ride is ok with me for now. It will eliminate some of the annoying hills that tire me out or would be impossible at the moment. I turned around at Route 460 today.  Seemed like heading back was easier than going out. Maybe because my hip loosened up a bit. I have to be patient and remind myself I’m pretty much climbing with 1.5 legs.  My hip muscles appear to have reattached where they are supposed to be, but will will take a long while to build up the strength again. I knew this and I know this, and I will ge...

Saw my orthopedic surgeon today for my "one year" follow-up!  I grew A LOT of bone! Great report today! I couldn't have asked for a better doctor and team. It's hard to believe a year ago my journey with him began. He also agrees it's hard to believe a year has passed. He was pleased and impressed at how much progress I've made - in fact I'm ahead of where he thought I'd be. A lot can be said for a positive attitude, willingness to work, never giving up and turning frustrations into motivation. I have a good understanding of what's holding me back at this point and it is just going to take time. So much of the top of my femur was destroyed in the initial accident, with the first implant, it's subsequent removal and second implant. If that grows back it would be surprising, but the good thing is the muscle shadow is there and going to where it is supposed to be. Of course that's the one that's causing my limitations on hills (riding/w...

So one year ago, I started off on a journey to ride 54 miles in Blount County, TN.  I would have never imagined the journey it turned into.  None the less, instead of rehashing the past, it's best to move forward.  I think I've done a pretty good job of that. Tomorrow, May 19, 19 - the goal is to ride 27 miles in Bedford County, VA as part of the Storming of Thunder Ridge.  I've done just about every distance at this event with the exception of the Century, the Mountain Only (I've done the mountain as part of the 75 mile route twice, both times in the rain) and the 27 mile "Cifax Ramble."  Funny that my doctor said, "at one year, you will be 50% of where you were the day before you crashed."  Check at the mileage goals, ya'll!!!  Is that creepy or what? I will try to post some pictures on Facebook, Instagram from the day tomorrow.  It's going to be hot and humid, so I'm thinking 27 miles isn't going to be easy.  I'm not ou...