September riding

[north woods gal]

Emily, I continue to be impressed with the way you've bounced back from your injuries! That would be a good week for me, anytime. Not sure how long it would take me to acclimate to that heat and humidity, though, should we ever venture down to Florida, again. Will never forget the way I bonked in it on our Florida trip, last year. That was close. Too close.

Rebecca, that is some very interesting country and, as always, beautiful pics. Looks like it could be fun for mountain biking or, better yet, fat biking.

50s for highs, here, the last couple days and frost, tonight. Still have a lot of tomatoes in the garden that have yet to ripen. Oh, well. Par for the course, up here. Gardening is a challenge with our very short growing season.

Been working hard on my trails, doing some improvements on those flatter sections which will double as cross country ski trails. (The steep sections are just too steep for my cross country ski skill level. Tricky enough with the fat bikes.) Hard labor, for sure, but it keeps me out in the woods all day and that's a good thing. Kind of allergic, now, to being cooped up indoors after spending so much time out in the woods, this summer.

[Catrin]

Emily, it's SO good to see how you've recovered and are back to doing what you love!

Rebecca, those are just incredible pics and the ride itself just sounds wonderful. Hard, challenging, with the temps requiring planning, but an incredible landscape for a long bike ride!

NW Gal, I love your plan to keep youself in the woods all day, sounds like fun!

[Crankin]

So, we got to the Amherst area Friday, went out to dinner with our friends, and woke up yesterday to cold rain. Although the rain stopped, it remained cold, windy, and misty. So our exercise ended up being the Smith College museum and eating lunch. Going on a hike now, as we will leva after lunch to go home.

[Geonz]

I got out yesterday for 79 miles!! It was a fundraiser ride for the Kickapoo Rail Trail... that started 12 miles from home so I rode there... did the 44 miles... and a lady who rides with us had wanted to try to get 100 but at least wanted to beat her high mileage of 65. SO, we took a scenic way home -- we parted ways when she had 77 to my 76 miles and she had 9 more miles to get home. I had the feeling she was tired as all get out but ... was still talking about a scenic route...
I paused on the way in to make sure a fellow lying on a picnic table was okay -- yes, he'd also ridden out and back ... and got home ready to ... go ride a bike, much to my surprise. Yes, I'd been careful to get off the seat periodically from the start, but I expected a little weariness! It goes to show how much weather matters, 'cause previous 85 degree days... I was done after 30 miles. (Granted, they were on my cargo bike.)
Let's see what October brings

[emily_in_nc]

Congrats, Sue! That's a long ride!

And thanks everyone for your support re. my recovery. Although dealing with the aftermath of my accident means braces on my teeth and having to be mostly in one place for longer than we'd like, I do still feel very fortunate that I am able to ride again! My thumb, which I also fractured in the accident, is a little stiff and probably always will be, but it doesn't bother me riding anymore. It was a little noticeable when we first started back in August, but now I never even notice it. I am glad it was my non-dominant hand, though!

Happy October, everyone! I am not riding today but will try to remember to start the October thread tomorrow if no one else does.

[Catrin]

Good to see all of you getting out and riding! Still hard that it's already October! I did get out yesterday with a friend and her dog for an easy 2.5 mile stroll in the woods and it was just lovely.

Emily - my chiro has done pretty good things with active release techniques have helped my more arthritic fingers - obviously he can't change the actual bone changes but he does release the soft tissues that are affected.. Perhaps someone qualified in the various active release techniques can help your thumb loosen? Very glad to hear it isn't on your dominant hand.

[emily_in_nc]

Emily - my chiro has done pretty good things with active release techniques have helped my more arthritic fingers - obviously he can't change the actual bone changes but he does release the soft tissues that are affected.. Perhaps someone qualified in the various active release techniques can help your thumb loosen? Very glad to hear it isn't on your dominant hand.

Thanks, Catrin. May investigate this at some point! It is not bothering me at all, though, and I continue to work on ROM exercises at home. At the time it happened, I suspect if I'd gone to an orthopod, I would have ended up having surgery on it, and given all I was going through with my jaw at that time, I just couldn't deal with another body part needing surgery simultaneously, so I did a lot of reading online and started doing gentle exercises for it as soon as the "rest" period recommended ended. Also have a therapy ball for hands I purchased to work on strength. Although it is still a bit stiffer than my right thumb, and the joint where it attaches to my hand looks larger/swollen, it's not a big deal to me. Both my parents and all my grandparents had osteoarthritis in their hands, so it's pretty much par for the course in my genes even without added injury! Just thankful it's not painful...yet anyway.