Since Summer Soltice was yesterday, plus I’ve been laying out in the sun quite a bit the last couple weeks, I thought this article that I saw at the BBC is pertinent. The article says that your body produces the same endorphins while sunbathing as it does during exercise. That doesn’t surprise me the least.

This hip fracture kind of makes each day swing wildly in mental and physical feelings. Yesterday was pretty bad on both fronts. But when I went outside and sat in the sun for 30 minutes, I felt much better. Maybe I am so used to getting a few hours of endorphins through exercise, I’m in withdrawal and need the sun, I don’t know. Whatever the reason, I believe the study.

How about Pope Francis excommunicating all the mafia guys? And he did it in Calabria, the southern Italian home of the mafia. I don’t pay too much attention to religion, but I like this Pope. He doesn’t seem to hold back punches. I’m not so sure this is going to work out so well for him, but don’t really know how that works, just thinking it might not be so “healthy” for Pope Francis. Those mafia guys seem to like their religion. At least in the movies.

Anyway, I hardly left the house yesterday. Like I said, I went outside a few times, but didn’t go anywhere. I was hoping to go to Kansas City to watch the Tour of Kansas City, but didn’t feel up to it. I am going to go today. The race is on Cliff Drive, a funky area outside downtown KC. It is a circuit race with a couple climbs. Yesterday, I don’t know who won. My team mate, Brian Jensen was 2nd. He sent me a picture of his Garmin last night. Check it out below. Pretty incredible numbers, if you know about those things. If you don’t, believe me, pretty big numbers for 70 minutes.

I’ve been taking a few steps, sans crutches, each day. It is so strange trying to remember how to place a leg when walking. I didn’t realize that you need to plant your leg with your knee locked, when initially touching the ground during a step. I had never really paid much attention to the knee bend when just taking a step. I don’t plan on having a limp when this is all over, but right now, I limp big time.

There isn’t that much pain in a hip fracture, at least this one, but it is enough to really disrupt sleep. Maybe since I haven’t been training, but I have a hard time understanding how I’m getting by on so little sleep. I do nod off a few times during the day, but it doesn’t come close to adding up to 8 hours. Plus, I’m getting fat. I was super skinny 3 weeks ago and now am back to pre-season weight. Hopefully it will come off as fast as it did before. I’m not really worried about it too much. I think you need food/nutrition to heal from an injury. But, I think you need sleep too, so maybe I should think a little more about that also.

Sort of short of time and my thoughts are all over the place. First, Michael (Fatka) just called and said that Eli, his dog, is no longer around. He was 15 years old and had an extraordinary good life, living out in the country and travelling all over the country. But, that doesn’t make Michael morn less. We all feel the same when our friends go. So many the last couple years. Hopefully, they are all hangin’ out together in doggie heaven.

On a more positive note, I rode outside for the first time yesterday. I was itching to get outside and was super tired of sweating to death on an ergometer, so I just did it. I loosened up my pedal, so I could upclip, and just went. I ended up doing 17 miles. It was pitiful. It was probably too far. I’m a little hurt today, but that is how it is going to be. Hills are nearly as bad on a bike as the handcycle. I was riding my MTB because the upright position seems to be better for my hip angle. My knee is the worst today. I’ve been sent a bunch of emails about how bad the knee gets after this. I didn’t think I had a problem, but now realize I do. Anyway, it is just shy of one month since surgery, so I can’t really complain too much.

Today, the vet called and left a message wishing Bromont a happy birthday. We celebrated that a couple weeks ago. But, no, it is today. Trudi made Bromont a birthday cake and he loves it. He doesn’t mind if we celebrate his birthday every week I assume.

We’re driving up to Chicago for in a couple days for Trudi’s mom’s 80th birthday celebration, which will be great, but I have a ton of stuff to do before then, and I move pretty, really slow, so it takes awhile.

This is Michael, with Eli and Bromont back at cyclocross Nationals in Kansas City.