COLLARBONES, HIGHWAY 20 AND MORE

Yesterday was seven weeks since clavicle surgery and after my 42-mile Colony Road ride astride the sleek, elegant Tarma Pro, I noticed that my scar looked a tad funky. Like reddish, hot spottish, and perhaps a little infected-looking. Me liked not that. Called my surgeon's office and luckily they were able to see me earlier this morning. Alas, nothing (prolly) to worry about. Possibly just the remains of a stitch that hasn't quite melted in. Gave me some antibiotics for whatever infection might be festering there and assured me that I didn't have to cut back on my activities or anything. Right on!

"You able to get out on your bike at all?" Dr. Bergman asked me.

"Actually, quite a lot," I answered somewhat sheepishly.

"Good, good, good," he said.

I repeat: Right on!

Last weekend it was 30 road miles on Friday, 40 road miles on Saturday, and two hours of mellow Interurban Trail mountain biking on Sunday. The back-to-back-to-back rides feel like they're bringing back but quick which I kinda need. I've just started working on a road biking book of Washington State and with my quick deadline, I need to get in a lot of road rides pretty quickly. 

I've been able to run (albeit very slowly) about four times in the last 10 days. It doesn't hurt my collarbone, but I've probably felt the repetitive arm swing motion of running (in my muscles) more than anything else since I upped my activity level about three weeks ago.

Book work and Bake being off from school means I haven't gone walking with Mellow Johnny Boy Clark for a while. But he came along last week when I drove to Winthrop for a Seattle Times story I wrote and that will be in next Thursday's paper and on the website. He took the above pic of me near Washington Pass below Liberty Bell.

We saw a lot of folks riding Highway 20 that day including Mitch and Ryan Kiesler, the below father and son duo. They'd started two days earlier in Anacortes and were taking the next 65 days to ride to Connecticut. Good for them! Mitch, the dad who will turn 50 during the ride, said his bike with all the gear they were carrying, weighed 70 pounds. Weight weenie that I am, that sounds absolutely frightening. Here's the blog they're keeping following their progress.   

And of course, here's some random stuff:

A cool waterfall near Washington Pass.

Mellow Johnny sans sling near Washington Pass.

Eleven-year-old Bake McQuaide in his improv class at the Upfront Theatre.