Bike goes back on the van tomorrow

I am taking my bike, van, life, and physical therapy exercises on the road tomorrow, headed for the San Juan Islands for awhile. Tomorrow marks 11 weeks post surgery that repaired a complex supra tear that tore inside itself and finally off the humerous. 2 bone anchors and enough fishing twine to tie a small rats’ nest. 5 weeks of stretching 2X /  day to reacquaint my right shoulder to its purpose and service to my body. 3 more months remain conservatively for the repair and regrowth of the tendon tendrils to reestablish their connection w/ the bone  to sustain a fall landing on my right arm. More time spent figuring out things to do before my tires hit the dirt. Much thanks to my former neighbors for helping me along I spent 11 weeks sort of living in Julie’s mothers small house where i had running hot water, flush toilet, shower, a bed, and room to do my exercises.

Last week I rode gravel roads climbing out of Peone prairie down to the river and back out. Cold. I hiked on T-day in the Little Spokane natural area, a place I used to poached by headlamp years ago. Rough trail and lots of steep climbing. Slippery w/ frozen mud. I didn’t pay much attention to managing daylight or the amount of time needed to hike out and back. At my turn around at the bridge I had 80 mins of sunup light to hike what took me 90 mins and the last bit of hike was down a rough slippery trail that I did not want to negotiate in failing light. I made it back in the twilight.

I did eat a Thanksgiving dinner @ a local chain restaurant. I was disappointed, to me it seemed everything was made w/ boiling water. OK, the pumpkin pie was baked but the whipped cream was from a pressurized can. Last year’s celebration was with Charlie and Theresa in a campground out on Dead Horse Point in Moab. I whipped the cream using an egg beater.

I watched Gonzaga basketball games. Kudos to Spokane TV stations for sharing. Sat I watched The Game between Ohio State and that school up north, the first half on an exercise bike with its own TV. What a game. Go big or go home was the other school’s choice.

Single digit temps are forecast later this week here. The San Juans will be a bit warmer. I read a sales pitch for the islands that stated they get 247 days of sunshine and a third of Seattle’s rain. There are several campgrounds open year round. I have a desire to find a room or small house to rent during my stay.

I had expressed my plan of leaving tomorrow w/ Brian, the PT. He said that he would give me exercises and we could communicate electronically when needed. My opening paragraph is based on that premise.

Life moves along. May yours be staying w/in your planned banks.

4 comments on “Bike goes back on the van tomorrow

  1. Check the pass, Craig, it was closed this morning. Big snow event happening in the Cascades. You may want to wait a couple days until things stabilize out. Don’t need the Sprinter in a sling too.
    Oregon coast was nice over Thanksgiving, blue skies on Thursday and mid to upper 50s. Wild weather driving home through the gorge yesterday. Some gusts so high around the Deschutes River that small tornados (waterspouts) were being formed throwing spray over both lanes of the freeway. Having sailed there for years, I would bet the highest gusts were hitting 60 or 70 mph. Weird part is the temperature in Eastern Oregon was 63 degrees and hit 64 for about a 10 miles stretch. Good luck on the road. Enjoy your new freedom. Probably feels like you just got your walking papers from Walla Walla Pen, after being cooped up and rehabilitating for the last 2 1/2 months. Les

  2. Friday Harbor was sweet, biked around the island. Read that the view from the high point on Orcas Island is great. Should have bought land there.

  3. Hi Craig,
    Thank you again for your time, kindness and generosity helping my friend Dave with his tire. We made it to the end of the end of the Oakridge Trail #688A (very steep descent), off of Surveyors Ridge trail, tired, a little thrashed but with a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction.

    This afternoon, I noticed Dave’s tire was flat yet again and we are now both baffled but at least he won’t have to trouble shoot it on a trail.

    Take care, happy travels and I look forward to reading about your next adventure(s). You are truly living in the moment.

  4. You are welcome.
    It is what we do, you are now part of that we.
    Tire: check rim tape to see if all spoke nibble holes are covered. Pump up the flatbed tubes to establish hole then match to wheel

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