I was sitting out on my front porch a few minutes ago, kind of moping around. I’ve been moving around super slowly today. Actually, it started around 2am this morning. I woke up in a cold sweat and couldn’t get back to sleep, so I just got up and started my mopey day. I didn’t stay away all night. I went back to sleep around 6 and slept again for another hour or so. So, today was never going to be stellar. I tried to post something earlier, but didn’t have the patience or the mental capacity to do it.

Anyway, I’m sick. My hip feels way better, but I’ve got a constant stomach/back ache and a on and off again headache. Plus some other symptoms. I’ve been trying to go outside a few times a day and just sit. The front porch has a good view of squirrels collecting acorns so I picked it.

I’d only been on the porch for 15 minutes, or so, and here ride up two fixtures in the city of Topeka, Ken Hackathorn and Brian Hammondtree. They have been riding their bikes around Topeka for years/decades. I think every city has a couple guys like Ken and Brian, guys that make the rounds through town and always make sure to check in at the bike shop often. Ken and Brian have probably had 50 different bikes between them over the years. They buy, upgrade, then sell bikes constantly. I don’t think either has a driver’s license, so their bikes are their only mode of transportation. Kenny has some issues and his balance isn’t good enough for a two wheel bike anymore, so he got a tricycle.

So, they see me on the porch and come on up. Kenny had brought a bag of bike parts for my brother, Kris. Ken’s trik was making a ton of noise, so I hobbled out to check it out. He has cable disc brakes and were easy to adjust. Kris got a 5 mm and it was done in a few minutes.

Anyway, Brian wanted me to autograph his new Specialized 29’r. He was saying it was an honor having someone from the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame’s signature on his bike. So, Kris went in and got a Sharpie and I signed both Brian’s bike and Ken’s.

I was pretty much done after standing in the driveway for 15 minutes, so I went in. But not before Ken told me a few jokes. He always has a constant supply of jokes. I’d tell you a few, but most, nearly all, are rated X, or at least crude. Crude, but sometimes funny.

Anyway, it was nice having those two stop by. They ride by fairly often, but I’m usually pretty busy, or just not around. It temporarily got me out of my doldrums and was a pleasant break from moping. It will probably be a highlight of the day.

Brian on the left, then Ken or the right.

Brian showing me where he wants me to sign his new Specialized.

Autograph.

Like I wrote yesterday, I’ve sort of been just moping around, feeling pretty under the weather. It’s given me a lot of time to think, and just reaffirm, how fortunate I am that I was born into the chosen few. By that I mean, I am one of the minority of the people on this planet that has access to the luxuries, that most of the other people on the planet just dream of, or don’t even know exist.

I’d say being sick and broken has put me into a sort of funky mental frame. Either/or is okay, but both broken and sick is just down right crummy. Saying that, I would still take my situation of the last week, here, to nearly any other place on the planet for it to occur.

If I were one of the other 5 billion people that don’t have the ability to have their hips screwed back together after an accident doing an athletic event, then I would just be SOL. I’m mending up slowly. Actually, that isn’t true, I’m mending up pretty quickly, even on my scale. But, I would not be close to good if I were one of the 85% of the people on the planet that don’t have the access or the financial means to be involved with “modern” medicine.

If I were Joe Blow in many places in Africa, South American, or lots of other places on this planet, I’d just be broken and I would be left to whatever my body could do to heal itself up.

Instead, I had access to a surgeon that had done 100’s of these operations before. To modern day anesthesia, antibiotics, pain killers, etc. Now I’m sitting in an air conditioned house, laying around on my nice bed, or comfy couch and am in a gloomy state of mind because, poor me, I’m sick. I don’t mind so much being hurt, that is part of the bike racing deal, but the sickness thing is bumming me out. Man, what a wuss.

I know I’m going to feel better soon and that I’m going to improve, healthwise, quickly. It would be so easy to be in a situation where that isn’t a given.

I’ve written this before and I’ll state it again, anyone that is reading this has already won the worldwide lottery. You don’t have to wish yourself anymore luck, because you are one of the few that were born lucky. We all are so fortunate to have a phone, to call someone when we are in a bad situation. Or someone else will just dial three numbers, 911, and someone will come and help. We shouldn’t take this for granted. It is part of the deal of being blessed by the lottery of life.

So, I’m gonna try to get through these next few days without being so gloomy. I don’t have any reason to complain. If anything the opposite.

My friend, Jeff Unruh brought me over some of his home grown honey today. Couldn’t have asked for anything else.

I did manage to ride the erogometer for 20 minutes. Only have a cycling shoe on my right foot. I can’t twist my left leg at all. Plus, it is just going around, no pressure much on the upstroke or downstroke.