BRAG ($ 10,000 Brag)

BRAG ( Bike Ride Across Georgia)

OK, quick up date. We need to do one of these type of rides. I have learned from experience, trial and error and through many friends I have met on this trip how and how not to prepare. First on the training, no doubt I was in great shape for this no problems there. I really did hammer these rides. I packed too many cloths. The people on this trip have been the best. Bike rides like this are like a HOG ( Harley Festival). Every town we rode to welcomed brag and the towns literally did special events for us. The cool thing was TREK followed our ride and you could sign up for a bike to use at no cost. Well, I got to ride a 6.9 Medone Trek. If you are familiar with this bike which I was not, it cost over $10,000 dollars, yes $10,000. I got to ride a brand new $10,000 dollar bike and yes on the century ride. OMG. When we all get together I will have to tell more stories for there are many to tell and just not enough room to talk. I got to sleep in an RV one night instead of camping which was really cool. Camping can get really old and it sure was hot. There was plenty of beer drinking and I mean these bikers are just like us, drink beer after a ride and enjoy life. Met many new friends.

The bad news. Throughout the last two rides my heel was acting up. It hurt like nothing I have ever felt before. However I kept riding (DUH). On the century ride at the 80 mile marker I thought I had done some serious damage. I was averaging over 20 miles an hour until the last 10 miles I just coasted in trying to make it back to the camp site. I went to the doctor on site and told her my story and she said you did not rupture your heel but it is strained and I must stay off of it for awhile. I thought it was worse, however she said it still could rupture. I was pampered last night but had to leave the race early. Get this, one of the new friends I met drove me to my car which was about 100 miles away so I would not have to stay hobbling around the rest of the week. I could have stayed in a camper with some other new friends but all I would do is get drunk all day while they rode. Figured it was time to come home and let myself heal. Don't know how long I am out but it could be a week or worse. I am still on for the beach trip but BSG I am not so sure about. I did get in over 300 miles in 4 days so a break may not be so bad. Hope I heal.

The "muted" one speaks....

OK the "muted" one is ready to be heard. First, that is one ugly knee! I want to grab Sigourney Weaver and kick the Alien butt that is about to erupt from your leg. You could have just said you didn't want to ride with us you know. In all seriousness, sorry for the injury and glad you are on the (too long) road to recovery. I look forward to helping get that leg back in shape.

Now on to the ride of the week... Carl "aka Lance Carpinski" and I decided to head out of Lewisville Square Thursday evening around 6:30. The skies were ominous but Carl "aka weatherman Carpinski" says the skies where we are going to ride are clear... let's go. We hit the road and he mutters something like, "you haven't ridden a bike unless you've ridden in a thunderstorm just another right of passage" and I begin to wonder about his forecasting skills. Well we are pedaling along at a good 20 mph average and we turn South East (actually I have no idea which way we turned and had NO idea where we were) and I look to my right and the skies are a deep black color and then I see not 1 but 5 bolts of lightning in the distance. I turn to the weather man and ask if we should seek some shelter! He just gives me a look and says, "we can beat this storm back to Lewisville... MOVE IT!". Well I take the lead and start cranking... the skies are getting darker, the winds are picking up, cows are running for the barns, the winds are getting silly strong and lighting is starting to flash all too close. I hear from behind me... "MOVE OVER I think you need a break." and this blur that is "Lance Carpinski" moves by me, grabs the lower handle bars and GONE in a flash. I swear I heard a "sonic boom" when he started to pull away! I shift down but to no avail... CarpiskiStrong is determined to outrun the storm and pulls away, never looking back. I am left in the swirling winds dodging cows and lightning. Well after about 10 minutes, I finally catch up to he who shall not be bothered by mother nature and we manage to actually skirt the storm. Upon returning to Lewisville Square I ask the Big Man, what was all that about? "I didn't want to get wet". Nothing light a little thunder and lighting for motivation. I think we may need to head to tornado alley next summer and do some storm chasing on bikes? Who's in?

David, take care of that knee, Philip, good luck riding around Georgia (watch out for banjo players... "squeal!") and Carl thanks for a great ride Thursday.

Final Post from the Beermeister this year

Xrays done Thursday, MRI done Friday, met with Doctor on Saturday, went to memorial day celebration at the pool on Saturday, played golf on Sunday, operation on Monday, stayed stoned for 3 days after that on morphine and oxycodene. Finally realized I need to wake up and live again. Turns out I had a pretty nasty injury. I didn't completly rupture the petalla tendon but I did tear it. Doctor had to drill holes into my kneecap to sew the tendon back together. I'm not sure why they call it a tendon - isn't it a ligament?? I thought a ligament attaches bone to bone and this appears to go from knee cap (patella) to shin (tibia). Anyway, this is a picture of the incission. I didn't know what to expect. Those are staples in my knee - sort of looks like a caterpilar as a friend of mine pointed out. I just hope it turns into a butterfly real soon! It never really hurt because I have been too doped up to feel it but I swore those pain killers off today. Afterall, This is Wheel Ride for Beer, not Wheel Ride for Drugs! I am not supposed to bend the knee for 6 weeks,so I am in an immobilizer now and that takes me into mid July before I can think about just moving it, so I'm afraid the beach ride is out for me this year. Recovory is supposed to be a painful 6-12 months, so maybe by the time I'm 55 I'll be able to do this stuff again. I'll find something to keep me busy in the meantime and coming back stronger than ever. Beach Ride 2011 or something even longer! Enjoyed all the memories guys and hope to pick this sport up again as soon as I can.