Recovering

I'm slowly recovering from my bike crash endo on 8/8. My sternum and rib cage in front are still pretty sore. There are some quite painful moments when I'm riding, when I pick one hand up off the handlebars, and my body compensates to handle the weight on the other hand. Also, in the gym, pretty much all the upper body exercises hurt like hell. And that's what I'm focusing on there, as I'm assuming the cycling is enough for my lower body. Coincidentally, I had my annual physical this week. The PA said there's a lot of connective tissue in there, and I may have torn some. Not much to be done, except just let it heal slowly... and be on the lookout for anything worsening. 

Saturday ride

Pleasant Saturday bike ride. Not so many other riders out there today. I saw some pretty clouds over the hills...

 

Boaters having fun with what looks like a big tube in tow...

A relatively rare coyote sighting, as they crossed the trail in front of me, and headed off across the golf course. I do love our wild critters, even the ones that would’ve eaten Mandy in a second. I got this one to look back at me for a moment, so I could catch a better photo. I know… my bad… then I waved, and headed off down the trail. Sheepish face…

I’m seeing more foliage changing colors out there. Another hint of why it’s time for pumpkin spice lattes again.

Keep cycling

Someone on a cycling group I follow recently posted a meme, which said something to the effect of, 

 

"No matter how slow you go, you're still lapping everybody on the couch." 

 

This needs to become my motto… It really struck a responsive cord in me, as I'm usually the one being passed on the trails, and there's a part of me that is quite discouraged by that fact.

Oops

My Thursday afternoon started out pleasantly, 75° and overcast, pretty much perfect for a bike ride. This time I waited three days after giving blood, having learned my lesson. A couple of deer crossed the Chatfield interior trail just in front of me, which was a real treat.

A large thunderstorm rolled through when I was a few miles from home, and I ended up pretty soaked. I thought of that as a good thing, as it helped clean off the blood and grime from the spill I took about halfway around.

 

I had a misadventure after crossing the railroad tracks, when trying to coast down the rocky grade that had a new deep track in it, probably from a maintenance truck. 

 I’m now regretfully declaring myself as earning the “endo” badge, having gone over the handlebars when my front wheel came to a complete stop. I still find it somewhat unbelievable, that such a small discontinuity could have such a disastrous effect.

 I’m mostly fine, with a few scrapes on knees and elbows, and a some sore spots where my chest and lower rib cage took the brunt of my fall on the rocks. I suspect my sternum will be developing additional soreness, as the days go by. 

My right brake/shifter handle got bent over about 45 degrees, and I couldn’t force it back, so I had some relearning to do, to get home, but I was glad it still worked. This might be my painful opportunity to disassemble the beautiful job the bike shop did on my handlebar tape and brake hood and cables, and see if it’s a simple task to get everything back where it belongs. Oh well, it was mostly fun… 🤷‍♂️

 

Technology

I've promised myself that I'd continue to try to embrace “new technology” (whatever that means), as I get older, partly to avoid getting left behind, and partly to enjoy the benefits of new and more efficient capabilities. I was tickled to use Apple Pay for the first time a few years ago, when my niece and I walked down to the South Platte River, ended up unexpectedly at Panera Bread without my wallet, and decided to get lunch. Then, a few years later, I got a pretty capable watch, then found myself without my wallet again, this time after pedaling to the bike shop, and was able to use Garmin Pay for some supplies with my watch! I was so proud of myself. It feels nice, to be working toward freeing myself from having to carry that filthy germ-ridden cash, or having to visit the bank regularly to get it, or having to deal with making and receiving change, or the risk of losing it all to a lost wallet or a mugging. I totally understand that everybody’s different, and it’s rare to find two approaches to life that are exactly the same… 

And then, just to show how far I have NOT come, we just had breakfast with someone who no longer carries her purse or even a wallet. She has everything on her phone, including her ID (Driver's license), proof of insurance, credit cards, and whatever else she needs, within reason. She said it feels so freeing, after years of lugging so much extra stuff around for her young ones. Wow.

 

As we arrived home, we noticed the nearby Quarry fire is still generating significant smoke this morning.

Gym

It's been quite warm here, in the mid to high 90s. With all the heat and smoke, I haven’t been riding, so we finally got around to re-signing-up for the gym company we used to attend, although they closed four of their facilities nearest to us during the pandemic, so this one is a few miles farther away. We took it relatively easy, but I know I’m going to be sore over the next few days.