TEAM 7-ELEVEN AUTHOR AT SEATTLE BIKE EXPO

Been enjoying Geoff Drake's book "Team 7-Eleven: How an Unsung Band of American Cyclists Took on the World--and Won." It details the early '80s, pre-Lance Armstrong days of U.S. cycling when folks such as Eric Heiden, Davis Phinney, Bob Roll, Ron Kiefel, Andy Hampsten, etc. were fighting hard to legitimize American pro cycling to the international cycling community. A fun read.

I'm looking forward to seeing (and listening to) Drake, who will be giving a talk and reading from the book at 12:15 p.m., March 10 at the Seattle Bike Expo at the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal.

I'll be at the expo pimping my own book, "75 Classic Rides: Washington", and hanging out at the Mount Baker Bicycle Club booth.

SEATTLE TIMES SNOWY OWL STORY

Click here for my Seattle Times story about the blizzard of owls at Boundary Bay!

BROKEN COLLARBONE UPDATE

Being that this is Valentine's Day I felt it was the perfect time to post an update on my collarbone break and subsequent surgery of almost two years ago. (?) Here's what it looks like today:

You can see a straight line (that's the titanium pin) and then a prominent bump which I presume is one of the nine screws. (Hopefully, not working its way out.) 

Here's a close-up:



(The top is a mirror shot; that's why it looks like they're opposite shoulders.) Admittedly, I'm sort of jutting my shoulder out a bit to make it more visible for the camera, but even when I don't it's still pretty prominent.

I never feel any pain or discomfort, I've got full strength and range of motion back, it never stops me from doing anything and I can throwing a baseball as hard as I could before the surgery (low 90s with good movement) but still ... there's something weird about the way it feels. The bone underneath doesn't feel straight; it almost feels like it's the shape of a spoon with a dip or divot in it. And right next to that is where the screw sticks out, which itself feels weird. I spend a lot of time just unconsciously touching it, tracing my finger along the weird shape, the way you unconsciously finger an earring after you've had your ear pierced. 

So, I don't know if I'd have surgery next time were I to break my collarbone again. I also don't know what the long-range effects will be of having a titanium plate in my shoulder. And though I know that I can have it removed--seems like that's what the pro cyclists do--I'm fairly loathe to have more surgery 'lest it's absolutely necessary.    

With that, Happy Valentine's Day!

SUNNY BIKE WEEKEND SUNDAY

On Galbraith Mountain. It was a good thing, a very good thing.

INCROYABLE SATURDAY DONUT RIDE

Cold, yes, but oh-so-sunny, hardly any wind, and oh, so fun! Here's a vid:

FIRST RIDE WEARING BIKE BOOK JERSEY

Got out for a little 90-minute spin today wearing the "75 Classic Rides: Washington" book jersey. I think it looks pretty good. The pic is of Titanium Cancellara (Scott Young) climbing the Mount Baker Highway, just above the lower ski lodge where you've got that killer view of Goat Mountain, Yellow Aster Butte, the Nooksack Ridge and the like.

The book hits stores in May. You can pre-order it here.