Well, that isn’t completely true. Yesterday I did the whole Chequamegon course and I can’t really say that I can complain about how much my thumb worked and hurt. It sort of worked and was only pretty painful most of the time. I did a bunch of shifting with my left hand. But, it worked. I was riding pretty good, nearly great, so I can’t say that yesterday went badly.
But, when I got back to the ranch, I got a message from Stacie that she “needed” to talk to me. I did really have a clue about what that was going to be about because I sent her the MRI and it wasn’t going to be there until Saturday. But, she had usurped that process and directly called the radiologist that had read the MRI. It was bad news. Lots of things wrong. Pretty wrong. At least wrong enough that someone is going to have to cut into it to make it work. I have an email from her this morning already saying I need to call her. Probably not more great news.
So, I’m a bit overwhelmed. In denial. I think I’m just going to let it soak in a little.
I did get to ride 3 hours yesterday in the woods. The Chequamegon course is faster than shit. Too fast for me. Bill and I rode the course from Rosie’s Field to the finish in 2:25 and we weren’t even riding hard. It rained a bunch two nights ago so the ground was perfect. I was riding a semi-slick rear tire and it didn’t slip once.
Really this race isn’t for a guy like me anymore. I need a more technical course. If the course was the same as it was even 10 years ago, it would be fine. I’m riding well enough. At least at 75%. I rode the Fire Tower Climb in my big ring the whole way. It was a smidgen loose the last pitch, but nothing to be concerned about. It depends how animated the guys are tomorrow, but if it is rolling along good, the race will be under 2 hours, which will be a course record. I’m not much into course records for MTB races. Here, the course changes some every year. This year it is shorter the last couple miles, so the finish is much faster than previously.
Hopefully I don’t get too excited today and start tomorrow tired. I’m tired this morning, but that is always the case after riding 50 miles on a MTB bike. Okay, I guess I need to make the call and get the news.
Some pictures.
Wrapping job.
Bill and Chap by Lake Helaine.
These boxes of fresh vegetables are down at the Ideal Market. Chris Ransom grows the vegetables.
I knew the River’s Eatery was going to be slammed when I pulled up to the parking lot.
And it was slammed. Beth and Mick hardly had time to breathe.
Steve, you need to start thinking about the future. You are great at dealing with all of these injuries and it is wonderful that you are still competing at a high level. But old age is a mean bitch. All the injuries you’ve ever had have left a mark on your body. And as you age, those parts that got sewed back together, popped out of sockets, pulled and torn, smashed and cut, will give you daily reminders of what a great career you had. Especially when the cold winter winds come and you’re shoveling snow or working on your truck in freezing early January. You are already feeling a lot of that. You should get your docs together to plan a post-racing plan for your body. A warmer climate, access to therapy, hot yoga, etc. You’ll soon realize why so many old folks go to Florida. Cheap to live there, warm weather, lots of medical and physical therapy available. And the roads are flat. Race you there!
Steve,
Sal is giving you some terrific advice. Look, I’m 63 and I have found that training is not the problem. It is the recovery that really presents the issue. I have had over 40 major bone fractures. They occasionally say hello in the morning. When 10 or more get together, it is quite a chorus. I scream too.
Come to our booth at Interbike. 23172. John Howard will be there for Wednesday and Thursday. We are putting together a little business that you might fit into really well. Bring Trudi too.
If you guys need some product to take home you can pack a box at the booth.
Bruce
screw that , keep the pedal to the metal as long as you can. kick ass tomorrow.
of course your thumb is jacked, there’s a race coming up..
You may as well go for it, after the sawbones gets done with you, you won’t be riding for about six to eight weeks, they put in a cage which screws into the bones over arthroscopic surgery to hold things together, and you’ve got to take extreme care to not bump or disturb the cage… or you’ll feel it. I’ve seen this before, btw.