Some people

Beautiful weather during this morning's ride. Haven't been out with a group in a while but thought it would be nice to see some familiar faces. The Thomas's were out of course, along with the usual "groupies".

Saw Lorie and Todd head out west on McDowell and Kim told me they were headed to 9-mile and pancakes.

I went to Saguaro and pulled over near the dam to watch some perching vultures for a while. A recumbent goes by so I took off with him for a chat. He's been riding his bent for about a year and loves it. His name is David Brake and it so happens he rode Mulholland last week (the race I couldn't do because of my neck status). He said it was the hardest thing he's ever done, or race, I can't remember. Anyways should be nice having another recumbent rider to ride with occasionally, maybe.

Randy Nunley came by and he said it was a tough race as well. Dang it !! We both talked about how we work too much and how we're gonna slow down a bit. He said one of his patients finally retired and died 8 months later, now his wife is dating and spending. Uh huh, I think a vacation is in order...

Came back via the Usery climb and half way up two men and a female passed me. I just happened to feel good at that time and picked up my pace a bit. I passed them back slowly, (I never want others to feel like I'm challenging them) and one of the men (a short stocky fellow with an Empire jersey) goes by me and stays just ahead of me. If I speed up he speeds up, if I slow down, he would slow down. I really didn't think a fellow cyclist would mess with another but I guess he felt like I challenged his manliness or something. We got to the top and I turned around to a repeat. He turned around as well and as he passed me says (cue condescending tone...) "I was hoping you were gonna push me to the top"

I shrugged it off but it started to bother me that this punk is trying some power play on a Saturday morning fun ride. I imagine he bragged to his friends how he put me in my place. I get so tired of some people sometimes. I'm just riding, I go very slowly around your friends and you think you're Lance? C'mon...

I thought of turning around and offering a little fatherly advice on life and etiquette but I felt this was the type of person who didn't want to hear it. So...I let it go.

Rode back up with Bridgette Verhaaren and Ruth Collins, great people and good conversation. Bridgette and Rob are going to Greece this summer and I am full of envy, sorry...I love Archaeology, I'm envious.

So I ended up riding 3 hours and will head back out in support of Kyle in 30 minutes. Shouldn't be too crazy, he hasn't ridden in a while and the pace should be easy. Maybe i'll practice what I learned this morning and ride just ahead of him, mark his every move and show him what a powerful rider I am...

Some people...

Vision Quest...

I'm entered in the HooDoo 500 i'm nervous to say. It would be nice to actually train for a race, maybe do a "Vision Quest" kinda thing.

I think i'm more stable now, with the thyroid replacement stuff and the recumbent ordered. The neck has greater mobility after the MUA and it looks like migraines may be a thing of the past because of it. I'm having some left arm radiculopathy (numbness) but I've been medicating for that and am hopeful. Blah, blah.. I just wanted to disclose my physical considerations.

So, I figure 4 months to the event should be adequate to prepare. Lots to consider besides training...lights, clothing, equipment, nutrition and mental status. Nutrition may be the most critical, it's everything to be hydrated and fed properly. I've been given the ok to race on my new Carbent Raven by the HooDoo organizers and i'm looking forward to the new challange.

Got a week to prepare for my training. I'll scour the internet for options and methods and hopefully work it out.

Wish me luck....

MUA DONE!

Procedure done. Had to wait a couple of months, but after much frustration and discomfort, I finally (and joyfully) got to have my prescribed surgery.

This morning, I had a procedure performed on me called a MUA or manipulation under anesthesia. This procedure is used to break-up scar tissue and help a patient regain full range of motion, in my case, my neck. Were not sure this will help me enough to overcome my neck pain during cycling but there is optimism. If it doesn't work, i'm not sure what the next step will be, but I assume it will either be more invasive or a drastic lifestyle change (no cycling)

I was prepped (changed into a gown, ekg, temp, h&p, etc.) then wheeled into a surgical room where I was transferred to a table. Got the O2 mask on and after 4 deep breaths I was gone. In my particular case, I was given a facet block injections under x-ray guidance to free up those joints so the manipulation would be more successful. Then my neck was adjusted and stretched beyond what a person could tolerate without anesthesia. Wake up was difficult as usual but I was finally able to come out of it and Meri brought me home.

Not sure about how it'll turn out but I hear results are statistically good. It's now 12 hours later and my neck is pretty stiff. I'm trying to stay positive and will do whatever is asked of me as far as rehabilitation goes.

I plan on riding Saturday and should know more then...

My "Been Awhile" post

Just a quick update on things.

I was on a bike ride the other day and I was overcome with the thought "this just isn't fun anymore". I'm talking about my beloved sport of cycling. Or, to be more specific, how I feel WHEN I'm cycling. I've never, ever told myself that before, not even in my worst suffering.

The nagging, dull ache in my neck is finally getting the best of me. Still hits me at around 20 miles in and is unrelenting. I've tried different positions and stretching and good internal talk and prayer and I just think I'm done. My last option if my MUA (manipulation under anesthesia) doesn't help, is riding a recumbent. Yesterday I was riding around Las Sendas sitting completely upright with no hands and I felt some relief, that position takes all the head weight off my neck. That's why I believe a recumbent might be the ticket "positional correctness" I call it.

We'll see how it plays out, in the big picture of life it's not a huge deal but cycling is something that's important to me and I'd like to get back on track with endurance racing, even on a recumbent if I have to.

Better go.

Coulda been squished today...

This just in...

As I was heading into Las Sendas this afternoon my life was spared by an attempted random act of kindness.

While riding my Nag east on Thomas Rd and just as I was entering the intersection at Power (with a green light) I slowed and asked two young girls who were on their bikes if they needed any help. They were stopped and fiddling with one of the girls bike chains on the right side of the intersection. Just as they said they were okay I looked up and saw a flash of blue just in front of my bike. Someone had ran a red light in a Minivan and I was a split second from death.

Not "I might have been hit and been hurt" I'm talking undoubtedly--death. The van was doing at least 50 plus and a second faster would have put me in front of the grill. That second or two it took to ask how they were saved my life.

It's funny how I didn't feel shaken by it, i've been close to IT quite a few times in my life and because it happens occasionally, I guess i'm used to it, I just shook it off and just kept riding.

My point of all this isn't how lucky I am or that I feel i've been preserved once more, my point is that helping others, or even just TRYING to help others may actually save your life ;-)

Bucket List

No, this is not my list, only an announcement that I am starting one. The family is gone for a few days and I want to try and open my mind.

I was about to Google some existing lists from other people and maybe borrow from them but had the impression that I want to come up with my own. My own list from my own twisted mind.

I hate to put a damper or limits on this thing, but I'm a bit older so some concessions I'm sure will have to be made. Regardless, I need to have something written down that I can strive towards. I never write things down, I guess I feel I'm bright enough to have goals in my head and at hand, but you know what they say about a goal not written down.

So, more to come. Maybe even disclose a few to the public...

Tour de Safford

What to expect? Pain and discomfort for sure, maybe pull out a platinum, I don't know.

Tour de Safford was last weekend and though i'm glad I went, I probably should've done the 33 with my son.

Curtis Clifford, Taylor Auwen and I headed over on Friday and stayed in Thatcher with Meri's parents. We stopped in to the diner where Sterling had chosen as a carbo load dinner site but it was a no-go for us, we decided to go back to Thatcher and eat at the Hawaiian cafe there on Main St. I'm glad we did, it was good food and Curtis got to meet a famous volleyball coach and they chatted for about an hour. Then off to the in-laws and sleep.

The next morning we got up late, and got to the start line just about 1 minutes before the gun went off. Nice controlled start, one rider went down on a cattle guard and was out cold, people were helping so I rode on.

I was doing well enough to be in the lead pack until about 1/2 mile from the top of the longest climb. I had to decide whether to redline and stay with them or hang back with Curtis. I felt with my compact gearing I wouldn't be able to stay the LP on the downhill so I decided to fall back with a slower pack. Different pack, same anticipated result, they got away from me on the steep downhill. I was riding at the back and looked up to see a gap, couldn't cross because I was spun out and that was it, 60 miles miles to the finish and nearly all of it solo.

Every now and then i'd ride along with someone but they'd either fall off or stop at the aid stations. When I was on the highway near Safford, Meri texted me to let me know I still had 6 minutes to get Platinum, I immediately let-up and soft pedeled because I knew that wasn't going to happen, 5 miles and a steep uphill to go and I was alone. So, I just rode in easy and finished in 5:14.

The neck was highly bothersome, I would try and ride as upright as I could, stretch and down the Advil but still a nuisance. Chiropractic is next on the list of remedies.

Curtis did well, he finished around 4:58 and in Platinum time. I was proud of my son Taylor, he hadn't trained so he did the 33. He finished 3rd out of about 50 people and did so with no water and on low tires, he forgot his water and didn't check is pressure, live and learn...

I like this race, I like the openess and the friendly people. I'll be back next year and hopefully in better all-around condition.