Yesterday, at the start of PT for my knee, I was started on the warm up bike, that 13 days ago I could not make a complete spin, I spun in complete circles for 5 mins. Exciting. The hematoma is loosing its effect. Went thru previously given exercises. Yesterday was the exercise bike. Tomorrow perhaps my bike? I thought about the test forth coming: if I could swing my right ( hematoma knee) over the top tube I figured I could pedal a real bike. I thought about.

This morning forecast wanted showers in AM with clear skies in afternoon. I put off learning result. I drove into town to refill water. Back at my address I ate lunch. I wanted to learn but then again I did not want to learn if I could not ride. I dropped the bike off the carrier and pumped up the tires. I changed to bike riding gear minus my hydration pack. Moment: left foot on pedal, push off, then lift my right leg. Success: Flexible. I felt my way to the gravel road listening to my body. My knee allowed spinning. 41 days since last ride. I pedaled on network of non maintained FS roads 4 doors down. Flat, jeep roads. I pedaled for 50 mins. I made my heart rate speed up, average bpm was 133. I can pedal and felt comfortable on bike. Passed first test, tomorrow will be more of same on road to reconditioning.

However, I am not pain free: my shoulder spoke up as did the meniscus tear in that right knee.

Yesterday PT Dave restated importance of having my shoulder repaired: reverse shoulder. Yesterday afternoon I made the call to the repair shop. I have no rotator cuff allowing ball to move around in the socket. I have come to grips that I need to pay the price for my past actions. Today  the ortho office called and started my process. I asked person when I would be fixed, she was not knowledgeable but said figure 3 months out. PT said arm will be in a sling like previous repairs.

When I know the date of repair I can make plans.

A new chapter is opening. Riding is outside Bend, about 28 miles away. If I go back to riding like 4 days a week I would want to sleep up there for next ride. I so like living here as opposed to public land. Diesel is like $5.25 / gal, van gets like 23 miles / gal. It’s just money that slips thru my fingers. I spent almost $300 to round trip over to Victor. What was 1 day at a time waiting for knee to work meant waiting. Now that I am able to ride and a future months long repaired shoulder recovery time to start when, how do I spend that time? I need to regain fitness before venturing out. Driving is expensive. While writing this I am in a perplexed state: Muscle tone slackened, I memory recalled rides minus the huffing and puffing expended during those rides. Going back to riding will real life cause that effort. I have lived a bit of down time, is the drive still inside me?

It is said to ride every ride  like it is your last. Fine and dandy if you have planned that ride as your last. However, you never know if the ride you are on is your last. Should you make it back to the start without injury, the next ride could be your last. And so on.

And so on.

Over and almost all way back to Bend. Many hours spent operating the van’s controls. Visited with my sister and her husband Bill. Stopped in for overnights at Steve’s going and returning. Excellent fall weather conditions. Teton Valley on the west side of the Teton range. Road trip over to Jackson then N a ways with the the Tetons on our left. Loop, returning same side. Tourist.

Far out: Friday night eating Thai I received a phone call, I saw name BenFreehub, from magazine. He saw my van parked across the street, he lives in Victor. Invited him in. He wrote and photographed the article about me in Freehub mag back in 2013.

Tomorrow back at La Pine.

Everyday I gain more range of motion on knee. However, disheartening, swelling went from 17 to now 16.5″. Yesterday was 5 weeks. Several days ago I lifted the bike off the rack to pump up tires that might have lost air from not riding. Able to perform task.

Highway US 20 east and returning west. Sage desert.

Additional:

Back in 2013 I was flagged down at Peaked Sports in Driggs by 2 people standing in the street in front of the shop, they were holding the centerfold pic from Bike Mag article. I stopped and visited. I was told they would hang the pic on the wall of a restroom in the shop.

Pic still there. During a later visit I bought a print from file and posted in the other restroom. It’s still there also.

Sister Lynn and me in Teton NP:

cell phone  pics are smaller than Olympus I carry mountain biking.

Recovery takes up most of the day, I will make time during that recovery to write this.

Yesterday was another session of physical therapy on correct knee. The PT, 4th therapist to work on my body, gave me more exercises and knowledge. Gave me a shrink sleeve to replace the manual wrap. He also gave exercises for my shoulder. Combing knee and shoulder exercises take a chunk of that recovery time. I also do random knee exercise during the day like attending to the stove while cooking dinner. Flexibility and making muscles fire is therapy.

Anyway, every day I notice improvements as in healing. Breaking news: today I walked a piece of the road I’m on, maybe 1/4 mile, in the most normal knee flex during walking. Pushing range of motion to tolerable pain level. Bedtime is mostly pain free as I am able to raise my leg by itself  and no searing pain when first standing up.

However, most of my time is spent on my van’s driver’s seat which swivels around to mate with my raised drop table. I look the length of the van, about 11 feet. The longest length in my house is 20′. Adjusting and accepting my enclosed space.

Yesterday marked 4 weeks post injury, 2 more weeks of swelling before reduction will occur per 1 DR.

I will return to Bend after Victor road trip to continue PT and recovery. My living is easy here where my needs are met. Trails are easier to ride for regaining what I will have lost. My wrists have shrunk. I’m not sleeping as well.

Chill has set in, 46 degrees and overcast. Heater performing its function. 5 gal propane today, paying attention to onboard supply.

Staying on my property sometimes for 2 straight days. Some days I do not speak. I listen to XM, mostly Outlaw Country for audio stimulation, receiver, not creator.

Tomorrow I pull up local anchor to embark on a round trip road drive to Victor, ID. I might be a bit excited about leaving my comfort zone. For preparation is fueling up. Van health is in good repair. I drive my house which has my stuff, I don’t have to make a travel bag. Whatever the weather condition where I visit I match conditions to my wardrobe. Back on the road. Level of anticipation or apprehension of leaving is directly related to amount of time spent at a place.

I pass a small barbershop on way to La Pine. I had been paying attention to the shape of my beard as below my jaw was thatch while above was shorter. I had no image of my hair. Today as I passed the shop on way home after laundry. I passed the shop, Nah, I’m going to do it. I turned back and took my place in a 2 chair cut shop by women. Sign gave discount to seniors. My time there, customers were white haired men, 5 of us. I guy balder than me, told the cuter he was changing his style to leave the fuzzies on his bald pate as temperatures were dropping and he needed the warmth. Many pictures of amateurish auto racers, the former owner. Women have left them hanging and no connection. So, my beard has been shorn and hair ends evened. $12 cut.

Consuming time.