Hilarity ensues....: 10/01/2007

Summer has been full of unexpected surprises, letdowns, and everything inbetween.
Although not quite as 'action packed' as last year, definitely an exciting summer none-the-less.

From the last post, I promised pics of the mri. Unfortunately, I don't have said scans. I haven't gotten around to figure a way to scan in the films (unless someone with a scanner volunteers). Although, I do have a few better ones. =)

But all-in-all, a very memorable summer. I finished the AIDS/Lifecycle 6 all under my own power. 550 miles of grueling pedaling from SF to LA. I would have never have imagined i'd be able to do this, let alone pedal the whole way under my own power. That's not saying that it wasn't difficult. It was by far THE most difficult thing I've every done. Bar none. By day 3, legs were screaming. By day 5, my body was screaming at me. By day 6, brain starting shutting off and started making some stupid decisions. And after the first day, it took a considerable amount of conscious effort to get back on the bike and pedal for ~7 hrs each day (moving time, not total time). Then get to camp, find/drag my ~40lbs backpack to the campsite, find shower materials, shower, eat, do laundry (hand laundry only), and go to sleep. And survive a week straight of porta-potties. Happy times. I remember at the end when I went to my sister's place in la, standing in front of the bathroom, absolutely amazed that i didn't have to wait in line to use it, and to find a toilet that flushes. Took a concerted effort to remember to flush. Even looked around for a wet-nap/hand sanitizer. Crazy huh? And I did all this voluntarily. But it was probably the most rewarding thing i've ever done too. To do something with 2400 other nutty cyclists, and 500 volunteer helpers who cooked for us, gave us massages, taped up our poor beat-up bodies, hauled countless tons of luggage and stuff, drivers who drove the shower trucks down the state, and the sanitation crews who had the unenviable task of cleaning out the armada of porta-potties 2x a night for all of us, we were a family. To be part of such a huge community of like-minded people, all working on a singular goal, and to sit back and look out across 2 baseball diamonds and see a tent city erected in under 24 hrs? It's something you just can't take lightly.

I ended up getting surgery at end of sept. Decided it was time to get it done cuz it was starting to affect everything i was doing, from bike riding, to walking, to going up stairs (which my place has no shortage of). It's kind of sad to think about it, since i'm not that old, and already have to get arthroscopic surgery to clean out my knee. But, I'm hopeful that this will enable me to go through and continue doing what I love to do without having to restrict myself due to pain in my knee. Figured i might as well do it now when i can recover faster, than live with this "thing" for the next 20 years, and get it done when it'll take me longer to spring back from it. And for those of you who are thinking that I'm crazy... you're probably right. I am nuts. I biked so much that it tore apart me knee. inflamed just about everything that i could, had tendonitis in my quads, hamstrings tight enough to bounce quarter off of, inflamed iliotibial band syndrome, it was bad. All i was missing was an acl or something catastrophic, and i'd be textbook. But hopefully, i've attacked the cause and smoothed that out so i can continue biking and live my life to the fullest....

but, enough words. here are some pics to feast your eyes on. If you wanna hear more, hit me up. i rather not type this out. Too much to process to put down into a measly blog entry.