RR First Ride Post Op

[Tcmedara]

My shoulder surgery was almost two months ago, but the doc
told me no riding off road for now because it takes upwards
of 8-12 weeks for the tendon to heal down to the bone where
he reattached it. The guy's a sports medicine surgeon and a
cyclist, so I am inclined to do what he tells me most of the
time. He did say riding on the road was okay, but to avoid
anything too rough on the shoulder.

Well today was just too damn nice to be a psuedo-roadie. 72
deg F, sunny, dry trails, I couldn't pass it up. I figured
I'd drag the boy wonder with me and that would force me to
keep the speed down and just take it easy. We went to the
local trails and started with the first little one mile
loop of single track. The BW actually mastered all the
bridges without incident and his confidence level shot
through the roof.

The bumps and roots on the single track were a bit much on
the wounded wing, even with the fork set as soft as I could
get it. So I decided we'd better stick to the fire roads. We
rode for a little over an hour and the sun was starting to
go down and BW was starting to complain about being hungry.
We "raced" back to the parking lot and I dug out the last of
the granola bars in my camelbak to feed the starving child.
He looked so cool -- mud flecked legs, gloves still on,
helmet hair, and bar hanging out his mouth and a big grin on
his face. Wish I'd had a camera to capture it. A perfect
example of pure mountain bike joy. The absolute essence of
what's so great about this sport. We didn't ride all that
fast, or all that crazy. But the boy rode hard and he didn't
want to stop because it was just too much damn fun. I was
just happy to be there.

Shoulder hurt like hell, despite sticking to the fire roads.
I'm sure it was just the tiny little bumps and the absolute
lack of strenght in the arm. Whatever the cause, all things
are made better through chemicals. Either way, it was well
worth it to see the expression on a 9 year old kid who just
rode himself to exhaustion and loved every minute of it.

Tom

 

[M. Prindle]

In article <uHHdc.3228$VE5.2392@lakeread01>,
"tcmedara" <[email protected]> wrote:

> My shoulder surgery was almost two months ago, but the doc
> told me no riding off road for now because it takes
> upwards of 8-12 weeks for the tendon to heal down to the
> bone where he reattached it. The guy's a sports medicine
> surgeon and a cyclist, so I am inclined to do what he
> tells me most of the time. He did say riding on the road
> was okay, but to avoid anything too rough on the shoulder.
>
> Well today was just too damn nice to be a psuedo-roadie.
> 72 deg F, sunny, dry trails, I couldn't pass it up. I
> figured I'd drag the boy wonder with me and that would
> force me to keep the speed down and just take it easy. We
> went to the local trails and started with the first little
> one mile loop of single track. The BW actually mastered
> all the bridges without incident and his confidence level
> shot through the roof.
>
> The bumps and roots on the single track were a bit much on
> the wounded wing, even with the fork set as soft as I
> could get it. So I decided we'd better stick to the fire
> roads. We rode for a little over an hour and the sun was
> starting to go down and BW was starting to complain about
> being hungry. We "raced" back to the parking lot and I dug
> out the last of the granola bars in my camelbak to feed
> the starving child. He looked so cool -- mud flecked legs,
> gloves still on, helmet hair, and bar hanging out his
> mouth and a big grin on his face. Wish I'd had a camera to
> capture it. A perfect example of pure mountain bike joy.
> The absolute essence of what's so great about this sport.
> We didn't ride all that fast, or all that crazy. But the
> boy rode hard and he didn't want to stop because it was
> just too much damn fun. I was just happy to be there.
>
> Shoulder hurt like hell, despite sticking to the fire
> roads. I'm sure it was just the tiny little bumps and the
> absolute lack of strenght in the arm. Whatever the cause,
> all things are made better through chemicals. Either way,
> it was well worth it to see the expression on a 9 year old
> kid who just rode himself to exhaustion and loved every
> minute of it.
>
> Tom

Sweet, I cant wait to have kids so I can take them out
riding. Pain is nothing when you look at the face of
your kid.

M. Prindle

 

[S O R N I]

tcmedara wrote:
> My shoulder surgery was almost two months ago, but the doc
> told me no riding off road for now because it takes
> upwards of 8-12 weeks for the tendon to heal down to the
> bone where he reattached it. The guy's a sports medicine
> surgeon and a cyclist, so I am inclined to do what he
> tells me most of the time. He did say riding on the road
> was okay, but to avoid anything too rough on the shoulder.
>
> Well today was just too damn nice to be a psuedo-roadie.
> 72 deg F, sunny, dry trails, I couldn't pass it up. I
> figured I'd drag the boy wonder with me and that would
> force me to keep the speed down and just take it easy. We
> went to the local trails and started with the first little
> one mile loop of single track. The BW actually mastered
> all the bridges without incident and his confidence level
> shot through the roof.
>
> The bumps and roots on the single track were a bit much on
> the wounded wing, even with the fork set as soft as I
> could get it. So I decided we'd better stick to the fire
> roads. We rode for a little over an hour and the sun was
> starting to go down and BW was starting to complain about
> being hungry. We "raced" back to the parking lot and I dug
> out the last of the granola bars in my camelbak to feed
> the starving child. He looked so cool -- mud flecked legs,
> gloves still on, helmet hair, and bar hanging out his
> mouth and a big grin on his face. Wish I'd had a camera to
> capture it. A perfect example of pure mountain bike joy.
> The absolute essence of what's so great about this sport.
> We didn't ride all that fast, or all that crazy. But the
> boy rode hard and he didn't want to stop because it was
> just too much damn fun. I was just happy to be there.
>
> Shoulder hurt like hell, despite sticking to the fire
> roads. I'm sure it was just the tiny little bumps and the
> absolute lack of strenght in the arm. Whatever the cause,
> all things are made better through chemicals. Either way,
> it was well worth it to see the expression on a 9 year old
> kid who just rode himself to exhaustion and loved every
> minute of it.

Sounds like the big kid did, too

I remember my first ride 6 weeks to day after surgery --
didn't own a road bike back then, so it felt really foreign
to be back on two wheels. Only did a little 45-minute toodle
down hill from house; few days later I was back riding with
the pack out at Anderson Truck Trail (*way* too soon, but
got away w/it)...

What was really scary was first crash; felt a twinge in
shoulder but no bad damage. (Mine still gets sore sometimes
after riding, but just sort of achy.) Knock on Styrofoam.

What sucks is that the strength has never really come back,
so I can't pull up on bar effectively (or evenly). Also
still flinch a little at certain technical sections, and
once you hesitate...

Glad you got back out there, Tom -- don't tell your doc, but
DO be careful! I know you don't want to get scoped 'n sewed
any more...

Bill "off the 'cuff' remarks" S.

 

[Tcmedara]

S o r n i <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Sounds like the big kid did, too

Yep! An hour at low speed on fire road was about right.
Anything faster, longer, or harder would have hurt.
>
> I remember my first ride 6 weeks to day after surgery --
> didn't own a road bike back then, so it felt really
> foreign to be back on two wheels. Only did a little 45-
> minute toodle down hill from house; few days later I was
> back riding with the pack out at Anderson Truck Trail
> (*way* too soon, but got away w/it)...

Came home the other day and asked the wife what she thought
of me dropping some cash on a road bike as long as I kept it
under $2K. I managed to get out of the kitchen before she
reached the knife block. So it was an "outright"
refusal..... Probably better off, I'd have to stop busting
on roadies.
>
> What was really scary was first crash; felt a twinge in
> shoulder but no bad damage. (Mine still gets sore
> sometimes after riding, but just sort of achy.) Knock on
> Styrofoam.

I was in total denial about the prospect of a crash. I
figured I was taking it easy so the risk was low. 'Course
now I recall the thread a few weeks back about the low speed
crash on the sidewalk or something to that effect. And I was
riding the hardtail with slicks mounted as the FS is down
for maintenance!
>
> What sucks is that the strength has never really come
> back, so I can't pull up on bar effectively (or evenly).
> Also still flinch a little at certain technical sections,
> and once you hesitate...

Hope that doesn't happen. Pain gets less every day and
they've started me on the strengthening regime now. I never
had big arms anyway, but the left one is looking remarkably
scrawny at this stage.
>
> Glad you got back out there, Tom -- don't tell your doc,
> but DO be careful! I know you don't want to get scoped 'n
> sewed any more...

Thanks. I'm looking forward to a real ride, but I figure
that's still a few weeks a way. Ran into some biking buddies
in the parking lot and they were all raving about the new
trail the local club just finished. It was killin' me, but
I'm planning to hold out on the real riding until the doc
gives me the thumbs up. 'Course I think I caused the
original problem about 10 years ago from a silly OTB
incident, so the risk is always present. Surgery once a
decade ain't bad though, as long as I get to keep riding!

Tom

 

[Bb]

On Fri, 9 Apr 2004 21:02:47 -0400, tcmedara wrote:

> in my camelbak to feed the starving child. He looked so
> cool -- mud flecked legs, gloves still on, helmet hair,
> and bar hanging out his mouth and a big grin on his face.
> Wish I'd had a camera to capture it. A perfect example of
> pure mountain bike joy. The absolute essence of what's so
> great about this sport. We didn't ride all that fast, or
> all that crazy. But the boy rode hard and he didn't want
> to stop because it was just too much damn fun. I was just
> happy to be there.

Shoulda "smoked" the little dude. ;-)

Just kidding. Very cool - I never could get my daughter into
it, and I'm a little jealous of those who can. Some days its
fun to be a family man.

--
-BB- To reply to me, drop the attitude (from my e-mail
address, at least)

 

[Pete]

"tcmedara" <[email protected]> wrote
>
> Shoulder hurt like hell, despite sticking to the fire
> roads. I'm sure it was just the tiny little bumps and the
> absolute lack of strenght in the
arm.
> Whatever the cause, all things are made better through
> chemicals. Either way, it was well worth it to see the
> expression on a 9 year old kid who
just
> rode himself to exhaustion and loved every minute of it.
>
> Tom

Coolness. Which trail?

Pete

 

[Tcmedara]

Pete <[email protected]> wrote:
> "tcmedara" <[email protected]> wrote
>>
>> Shoulder hurt like hell, despite sticking to the fire
>> roads. I'm sure it was just the tiny little bumps and the
>> absolute lack of strenght in the arm. Whatever the cause,
>> all things are made better through chemicals. Either way,
>> it was well worth it to see the expression on a 9 year
>> old kid who just rode himself to exhaustion and loved
>> every minute of it.
>>
>> Tom
>
> Coolness. Which trail?
>
> Pete

The first loop at Harwood and then up around the fire roads
past the model airplane field and back. We'll have to meet
up out there sometime, with or without kids. I'm still 4-6
weeks from real riding, but I'll probably end up pushing the
envelope despite my best intentions. BTW, have you tried the
new trail up at New Quarter Park yet?

Tom

 

[Pete]

"tcmedara" <[email protected]> wrote

>
> The first loop at Harwood and then up around the fire
> roads past the model airplane field and back. We'll have
> to meet up out there sometime, with
or
> without kids. I'm still 4-6 weeks from real riding, but
> I'll probably end up pushing the envelope despite my best
> intentions. BTW, have you tried the new trail up at New
> Quarter Park yet?

Hadn't heard of it New Quarter Park. But...may take the BW
out and try it this week.

Pete

 

[Mattb]

tcmedara wrote: <snip>
>
> Shoulder hurt like hell, despite sticking to the fire
> roads. I'm sure it was just the tiny little bumps and the
> absolute lack of strenght in the arm. Whatever the cause,
> all things are made better through chemicals. Either way,
> it was well worth it to see the expression on a 9 year old
> kid who just rode himself to exhaustion and loved every
> minute of it.
>
> Tom

Nice. Welcome back! Don't push too hard, but stay on it as
you can. You'll bounce back quickly, I'm sure!

Matt (shoulder still gets sore, but not too much to ride)

 

[Bill Wheeler]

On Fri, 9 Apr 2004 21:02:47 -0400, "tcmedara"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>My shoulder surgery was almost two months ago, but the doc
>told me no riding off road for now because it takes upwards
>of 8-12 weeks for the tendon to heal down to the bone where
>he reattached it. The guy's a sports medicine surgeon and a
>cyclist, so I am inclined to do what he tells me most of
>the time. He did say riding on the road was okay, but to
>avoid anything too rough on the shoulder.
>
>Well today was just too damn nice to be a psuedo-roadie. 72
>deg F, sunny, dry trails, I couldn't pass it up. I figured
>I'd drag the boy wonder with me and that would force me to
>keep the speed down and just take it easy. We went to the
>local trails and started with the first little one mile
>loop of single track. The BW actually mastered all the
>bridges without incident and his confidence level shot
>through the roof.
>
>The bumps and roots on the single track were a bit much on
>the wounded wing, even with the fork set as soft as I could
>get it. So I decided we'd better stick to the fire roads.
>We rode for a little over an hour and the sun was starting
>to go down and BW was starting to complain about being
>hungry. We "raced" back to the parking lot and I dug out
>the last of the granola bars in my camelbak to feed the
>starving child. He looked so cool -- mud flecked legs,
>gloves still on, helmet hair, and bar hanging out his mouth
>and a big grin on his face.

>Wish I'd had a camera to capture it. A perfect example of
>pure mountain bike joy. The absolute essence of what's so
>great about this sport. We didn't ride all that fast, or
>all that crazy. But the boy rode hard and he didn't want to
>stop because it was just too much damn fun. I was just
>happy to be there.

sweet!

>
>Shoulder hurt like hell, despite sticking to the fire
>roads. I'm sure it was just the tiny little bumps and the
>absolute lack of strenght in the arm. Whatever the cause,
>all things are made better through chemicals. Either way,
>it was well worth it to see the expression on a 9 year old
>kid who just rode himself to exhaustion and loved every
>minute of it.
>
>Tom
>
nice rr, Bill The mind serves properly as a window glass
rather than as a reflector, that is, the mind should give an
immediate view instead of an interpretation of the world.
:-]