Shoulder sessions

It's been a month since that fateful day. The day the wet pavement slid away from under me at warp speed leaving nothing but a dislocated shoulder and an incomplete race season.

Since then it's been baby steps. Tiny, microscopic baby steps. At least that's how it feels. I have this overwhelming urge to do something strenuous. I've hiked up Hi-Dee-Hoe a couple times, but that's about the extent of it. I ask my physical therapist every visit "how long until I can do P90X?"

"How long before I can do push-ups?"

"How long before I can climb Mount Everest?"

"How long before I can be me again?"

The answer is always the same; "Soon."

Despite my impatience, the shoulder is progressing nicely. The pain that was once constant has become so infrequent that it surprises me when it comes. Luckily, it goes just as quickly. My range of motion is about 90% and improving. I've started resistance training that the therapist has made increasingly harder each session. Progress! Slow, steady progress.

Winter is coming...

...time to break out the fuzz.

If you enjoy the outdoors, the place to be this Wednesday evening is the Radical Reels Film Festival and Get Outside Expo at the Mill Mountain Theater in downtown Roanoke.

Click HERE for details.

Blapow!

Physical Therapy has begun!

With great anticipation (and honestly quite a bit of fear) I arrived at the therapist's office this morning for my first session. Was this process of rehabilitating my shoulder going to hurt worse than when the accident happened? Would my stupid shoulder pop out when the therapist started moving and yanking and pulling it in all directions? Would I pass out from the pain? Would I puke?

I was pleasantly surprised when I was questioned thoroughly before the poking, prodding, yanking and pulling started. I was treated with kid gloves, but was also assured that small easy steps are the way to a strong, completely healed shoulder.

In other words this visit took a ton of weight off my shoulders (pun intended).

Now it's more of the same for the next 4 weeks...

Chris Eatough announces retirement

The man is a legend in his own time.

The folks over at cyclingnews broke the story today. Thank you Chris for so many years of exciting racing action! You will be missed.

Star City Alleycat

Welcome to Star(Zoo)Bomb

STEP 1: Load 'em up! Find one on the side of the road, in the trash heap or in the neighbor's yard. Pump up the tires. Pile 'em all in a truck.

STEP 2: Prepare your armor, lights, and machinery.

STEP 3: Gather your friends.

STEP 4: Let 'er rip! Three miles, downhill, in the dark. Dats da StarBomb.

STEP 5: Beverages.

Info coming soon!

The DVD collection grows!

The Lance effect in effect. Who even heard of this race three or four years ago?

Sling free, Day 1

I just ate delicious chinese food for lunch,

RIGHT-HANDED!

14 Days in a sling: DAY 15

Yes, day 15.

The shoulder will be put through it's paces at the orthopaedics's tomorrow. I'm pretty worried about it actually. I have a feeling that there will be a huge amount of pain associated with this visit. I know I have to go through with it, but I wish we could skip this part and get straight to rehab.

I found this photo of these happy people wearing slings. Why are they happy? They're happy because they can take the damn sling off after the photo was taken. I don't look this happy with my sling on.

I'm already riding it in my head.

14 Days in a sling: DAY 14

So here's my idea; I can bungee-cord the right side of the handlebar to my left arm and I should able to get enough balance to ride. Not sue if I'll be doing too many sweet jumps however.

Before reading this post did you even know that bungee-cord was a verb?

14 Days in a sling: DAY 13

14 Days in a sling: DAY 12

I don't think that I was meant to be left-handed, or ambidextrous for that matter. As I type this post in my injury-induced left-handedness, I can't #$%$# wait to get healed and put BOTH hands on this keyboard. I haven't been able to print or sign my name with any legibility for going on two weeks. I've taken hundreds of notes for myself at work and I can't decipher any of them. I expect the angry customer calls to start rolling in anytime now, but it will be difficult to reach across my body to the RIGHT SIDE of my desk to even pick up the phone!

However, there is hope for those of us who are hopelessly right-handed, left-brained humans. Some little shorted synapse in my brain said to me at an early age that proper way to hold a hockey stick is left-handed. I can also bat fairly well left handed. Those of you who know me well also know that I can hear a song, pick up my guitar and learn to play it by ear in a few minutes - undoubtedly a right-brain function.

So I ponder; although I am right-handed, could I be ambidextrous brained?

14 Days in a sling: DAY 11

I got nuthin'. What on Earth do people do if they don't ride bicycles? I've tried watching TV. Most of it is terrible. I can't get into video games...especially with one arm. I guess I could read more. I've been trying, but it's just not as exciting as doing! There's just nothing that will ever replace being on the bike for me. I guess this little ordeal really shines a light on how much of an addict I really am.

14 Days in a sling: DAY 10

I tied my shoes today all by myself! Don't get too excited, anyone can learn to do it here.

14 Days in a sling: DAY 9

The shoulder is feeling a lot better the past few days. I'm still obeying the Dr's orders and keeping it in a sling. Aside from the obvious muscle weakness from inactivity, the ache in the joint itself is gone. Perhaps the road to recovery will be short, in good repair and will have a bike lane!

14 Days in a sling: DAY 8

I'm injured. Why do I still feel bad about sitting in front of the TV watching football?

14 Days in a sling: DAY 7

Ate sushi with a fork. Chopsticks are uncontrollable with the left hand. I would have poked my eye out.

14 Days in a sling: DAY 6

One-armed hiking, in lieu of the Thursday night mountain bike ride. I can at least still take in some good singletrack, albeit much more slowly than on two wheels!

14 Days in a sling: DAY 5

Whoa, what's that smell?

Febreze helps fight sling funk.

14 Days in a sling: DAY 4

Although this post is day 4, I learned this on day 1;

A hopelessly right-handed person can inadvertently poke a hole through the top of their head with a toothbrush by attempting to brush their teeth left-handed.

Will Band-Aids work in your mouth?

Action shots, new kits