I'm going in for neck surgery this Thursday so I'll be off the boards for awhile.

They're going to roto-rooter out the vertebrae, install new discs (from bone from my hip ) & fuse the whole mess together. I'm told I'll be off the bike for 8 weeks.

I have a genetic predisposition for arthritis but riding a road bike for 15 years hasn't helped. I just keep telling the spine doc, "Just get me on my bike."

April 30 - Tour of the Tucson Mountains 70 miles - I'm there!

Happy holidays to everybody! Hope Santa brings you all wonderful bicycle things!

(Oh, here's the take home message. If your neck hurts a lot and especially if you start to experience numbness in your shoulders, arms, etc., get it looked at right away.)