Playing Catch Up, Monday 1o:50 PM
This blog is funny in that if I go one day without posting something, I get the itch to post something; whether it be some unfunny commentary, tales of one of my short and shitty rides, or just a couple of photos. However if I go more than four days without posting I reach blissed out on Valium and sleep med levels of apathy about ever posting anything again. Then once I hit five days without posting something, apathy gives way to creative ennui, or I actually go for a ride and have something that I feel like blathering on about.
I also start to forget what I’ve been doing. For example I have no idea if I rode last Thursday or not [Edit, it seems I did]. I can’t find any photos, so I MIGHT not have. But then maybe I did? I think I might have done a Better Than The Trainer Ride™ on the road… Or not. I haven’t hooked my Garmin up to the Mac in days, which means I can’t look at any stats, and it hasn’t been charged, which means that it will promptly shut down about ten miles into my next ride, but not before annoyingly beeping at me for the previous five.
Friday I remember, then try to forget, because I yet again attempted to ride a 16 mile lap at MMCC again and bailed in 8 because of discomfort in my back and hip again. So much for that cleat adjustment that felt good riding on the road.
I also remember that I pretty much decided to hang up my mountain bike (at least one of them), both literally and figuratively. Firstly I cleaned and scrubbed down the PrOcal, then literally hung it up in the garage. Figuratively because before I did that I snapped some pics of it, then posted it up for sale since I don’t see much more singletrack in my future.
Continuing to Play Catch Up, Tuesday 6:27 AM
Yeah, I know I’ve had it less than five months, but it’s just not going to be ridden. Not the way I had planned, or a bike of that quality deserves. I still have the Superfly that no one wanted, so if by some miracle my doctor can figure out my issue when I see him (two f’ing weeks from now!) I still have a mountain bike to fall back on, but I just don’t see anything changing, and will most likely find myself mall walking scooting in a motorized cart sooner rather than later.
I love riding singletrack, but beyond the discomfort in my back and hip when I ride it, something just hasn’t been the same. I thought it was changing last year after I put in a lot of miles on the Boone, and felt positive about making some positive steps towards increased fitness and returning to racing in 2016. That didn’t happen, and I have never felt more fucked physically; weight gain, hip pain, back pain, stiffness, and crackling joints–in addition to partial hearing loss in one ear and a daily dose of blood thinners to prevent additional DVTs– have me feeling twice my forty-four year old age. GET OFF MY LAWN!!
The Continuation of Continuing to Play Catch Up, Tuesday 8:07 AM
I really should have known better last fall when I had the shop get hold of a PrOcal for me, I mean my original hardtail plan was to get a Surly Karate Monkey Ops for those ride that I wanted a hard tail, a decision that would have saved me over $2,000. But no, I had to go and think I was going to pick up where I left off five years ago and race again. I blame you all, you should have stopped me; you should have said “Jason, you’re older, fatter, slower, uglier, dumber, saggier, and more unhealthy than you’ve been in 25 years. Do NOT get the Procaliber!” I’m joking of course, I blame myself, as usual.
Fuck it, I’ve made worse decisions in my life. Like that time I tried to let out a silent fart in church, instead let out a flutterblaster, that reverberated through the entire church, and started me giggling like a fourth grader. Actually, I was in fourth grade, but still. It was an unwise decision.
On a brighter note
With all that moaning, etc., there are some bright spots in there. Riding dirt and gravel roads seems to be OK… well, at least I can get about 35 miles in before I feel old and fat, rather than 8. Also, after many a call to my doctor and not being able to get through, I finally have an appointment scheduled, and hopefully can get some x-rays or an MRI to see what the problem is. While I don’t want ANYTHING to be wrong, I also don’t want them to say that they don’t see anything at all and that I’m sort of psycho, hypochondriac.
On and even brighter side
After two mountain bike rides that were utter shit, and in my mind feels like the last two I’ll ever do, a short road loop last week, and a weekend booked solid with B’s soccer tournament in Midland, I finally got out for 35 mile dirt and paved road ride yesterday. The days off the bike spending time with the unit, friends, and watching soccer did wonders for me and I was happy to be out on the bike and taking some photos. It was a great way to try to forget about falling apart, getting old, and poor decisions. I hope to do it again real soon.
Playing Catch Up, Tuesday 5:23 PM
Betweenst a shit ton of stuff I had to do today I got out for a quick 22 mile spin. The wind was a lying bitch, and I took a few photos. Maybe I’ll get around to posting that crap later. Maybe not.
Later.