Saturday run...

We’ll I did get out for a bit this afternoon to enjoy some trail. Lebanon Hills Regional Park is finally drying out, and I ran 5 miles in what was not bad weather, but not good weather. Felt more like late fall than Spring, but it beats a treadmill. I took the new Merrell Trail Glove’s with Mountain Hardware strapless running gaiters, and my feet stayed cozy. I do have to say I’ve come to love my FiveFingers, and it feels funny to be in shoes (opposite of most people’s view I’m sure). When it’s warmer I’ll be back in them.

Overall I’m doing pretty well with running after surgery, but I’m noticing my heart rate is still high at most times. I’m hoping it’s just due to being in much worse shape than I was pre-surgery; this would make sense. A major reason for having the surgery was creating more room for my heart to expand so it wouldn’t have to compensate with high rates due to less volume. So in short, I hope to see slower heart rates over time as I get back into the shape I was in the past.

But anyhow, today’s run took me through woodlands, that despite being located in the metro, had no people in sight, and plenty of wildlife. Lots of birds, big and small, deer, and a brave muskrat who swam right up to be when I stopped for a drink of my bottle at the edge of a pond. Good company. I love getting into the zone out in the woods and forgetting about offices.

New kicks:

Paris

Recently I went on a non-outdoor-themed trip with my beautiful wife. She was awarded a random seven day off stretch from flying, and I have some vacation time that needs using before I switch to flying myself, so we decided to take advantage of it. Seeing as my chest still wont handle going big, and since I always cause her to spend her vacation time shivering in a tent somewhere for a week, then coming home smelling of dank nylon sleeping bag and musty wool (things I truly love by the way), we chose a trip of the opposite variety. One has to treat a wife like a lady at times or one’s tent may be missing a lady in the future. J She chose Paris, France to live it up for a few days, and we flew across the Atlantic to check it out. A notable perk of being an airline family (why we stay in the business as awful as it can get).

We found ourselves very tired arriving in Europe after an all-nighter on the 767 that got us there. We found a hotel in the St. Germaine area in the Latin district of central Paris, and promptly took a nap. Then, found some food and made a game plan.

The tick list included: Versailles, the Louvre, Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, Champs-Elysées and the Arc de Triomphe.

The first evening we took the subway down to the Eiffel Tower and took a boat tour of the city.Very very ornate. Quite a bit of history here, and the French know how to make a beautifully city.

It was the first time I’ve been in a country where I do not have a clue what anyone around me is communicating. Kinda fun actually, bumbling your way through the day. I quickly picked up some basic hello’s and thank-you’s and learned to point at things in café’s that looked good.The French were actually very polite and friendly towards us as Americans; not the rude stigma you hear about here in the States. Many people did in fact speak some English, and when you make an effort to ask them in French if they would mind helping you in English, they were very helpful.

The next day we toured Notre Dame, including a trip to the top of the cathedral to see it’s gargoyles and views of the city. Also did a lot of walking in the area and took in some French food. Overall, it was tasty, but they are much more into ham and cheese everything that I’d prefer as more of a plant eater. Did find a couple very good salads during the week though, and I’d get in trouble at home with their bread around.

We spent that evening walking the Champs-Elysees, where the Tour de France finishes. I have to say I didn’t realize what a cash register it is. Tons of high-price shopping and name brands, and way overpriced food. I can say I’ve been there, but it really wasn’t my cup of tea. I prefer it when bikes are flying down it rather than pretentious affluent shoppers. It was nice to see the sunset from atop the Arc de Triomphe though.

I’d have to say that the next day at Louvre was my favorite. It’s overwhelming actually. I think they said that if you spent a few seconds in front of every piece of art in the place it would take you something like 4 months. So, with a day, we hit the hot spots. Too many to comment on or picture. I highly recommend spending some time here if you get to Paris.

Our entrance to the museum marked a surprise of the trip. While standing in line- I heard a loud “Hey Ben Jensen!”. What? I turned around and saw my sim partner from CRJ 200 training at Mesaba here in MN. Nuts. He was on vacation too and we just happened to bump into each other in France.

In the museum, we enjoyed seeing it’s amazing collections, so include some favorites I have pictured below.

The last full day there we dropped down to Versailles. I have to say that this place is one giant display of royal excess. It’s pretty interesting to see how some people surrounded themselves with everything while others were suggested to “eat cake”, if you recall blunders of history.

A flight to Atlanta, then back to MSP brought us home and we quickly adjusted back to life as usual. Fun trip. We’ll probably be back in a smelly tent soon, but it was nice to live it up a little in one of the world’s prized cities.

View from atop Notre Dame:

Code of Hammurabi:

Running into familiar people across the world:

Statues of the Louvre:

Art as big as walls (big walls):

Crowd at the Mona Lisa:

Under the Eiffel Tower:

Champagne atop the Eiffel Tower:

At Versailles:

Typical Room at Versailles:

Walking the gardens of Marie Antoinette:

I think my wife likes hanging out at Paris cafe's. :) Love you babe!

Update

Wasn’t quite sure what this weekend was going to turn out. Almost went to Alaska on a whim, but flight loads didn’t work. Instead checked out the Radical Reels Film Fest as a part of Midwest Mountaineering’s Spring Outdoor Adventure Expo. Now chilling (literally- it snowed last night and our apartment building managers didn’t figure that heat was necessary any longer this year) in my place, and thought I’d dust off the ol’ treadnorth blog. Been dry on the writing side of life lately, seeing as my blog is dedicated largely to adventuring outside, and things have been decidedly focused on the lesser exciting topics of work and more work in the past couple months. Big changes of some sort coming in that realm for me, as I was recalled from my pilot furlough recently. I teach, so I may be splitting my time with that and flying, or may fly full time. So that’s been taking up my brainpower, making big decisions about how (and where) I will spend my workdays.

But the outdoors and the passion I have for it has not been out of sight during this time. I’ve been continuing to run, and have finally been freed from the treadmill months to take things outside and let my toes feel something real. I haven’t been running quite as much as I’d like to due to said work drama, but it’s coming along. I’m stoked for our trails to finish their yearly evolution from snowpack to cold muck to dirt. Last night’s snow didn’t help, but it’s coming. I did pick up a pair of Merril’s new True Glove “barefoot” running shoes and a pair of running gaiters, so I’m more equipped for spring trail running. Haven’t made any big judgments on them yet as I’ve only worn them a couple times, but the initial reaction would be that they have more substance than my VFF’s, yet keep a decent trail feel with zero heel to toe drop. Should end up my shoes for more gravel-y terrain and for when it’s colder out. More on these as I use them.

You’d think I would have blogged this right away, but last month also saw my first pedal stroke off the trainer and outside, which was a huge relief after so much couch time following surgery. I’ve commuted into work a couple times and have been riding on the weekends. I did in fact sign up for MN Ironman in a couple weeks, so we’ll see if my chest likes that or not (more like we’ll see if I think the discomfort is reasonable or not). I’m excited though. It at least feels like I can follow through a bit more on the decisions I want to make outside. My ideas are still much stronger than my body- a balance one has to keep in check to ever get on the other side of said balance.

First post-op ride outside. Rode the Karate Monkey over to Minnehaha Falls (falls are behind me- sorry, you can't see them this time):

View off the Mendota Bridge at a spring-flooded Ft. Snelling State Park:

Climbing has taken a backseat lately, and I hope to get a little of it in sooner than later. Perhaps today or tomorrow I’ll hit the plastic jungle. My chest bar has been feisty, moving and digging nerves under my right pectoral area pretty often whenever I make pushing motions, so that’s been an obvious distraction to climbing without reserve. Three more months of the bar at least is what the doctor says now. Long time, I’m a hard case.

That’s some of what’s been happening in the past several weeks. Oh, and I took my wife to Paris, which will be a post of it’s own. I'm off to figure out the weekend we have free...

Ski, run, hike, celebrate...

Nordic ski nights, treadmill runs, a big anniversary, and a mock-Spring are the latest highlights.

I may still have a semi-busted chest, but there’s nothing wrong with my legs, and they’ve continued to carry me further toward getting back in shape. Since posting last, I got into a habit of skiing two or three nights a week, mostly down at Ft. Snelling State Park, near where I live and work in the city. Even though the peace of those particular woods is often interrupted by a 747 thundering only 400 feet above you, it’s great to have the place nearby so life’s not all pavement. It lets me get in some exercise in a day packed with so much office. I’ve been joined quite a few times lately by Alison, my coworker Jonathan, and our friends, the Goltz’s. Sometimes it’s a solo venture where I need to make sure I don’t whack the sternum with no help to get back to the truck. Always careful, but gotta live. Doctor pointed me toward some chest armor designed for motocross, but works great for guys with healing ribs/sternums.

Winter in Ft. Snelling

Alison getting ready to glide Snelling:

In addition to the skiing, I’ve been trying to get up to my in-laws on the weekends for more treadmill running. Can’t wait to switch to outside. My longest run so far was last Saturday, where I managed 6 miles. I actually felt a strong desire to go further, but I’m still finding it hard to predict how my chest will feel after the run. It usually feels somewhat uncomfortable, yet manageable during the run, and then aches pretty fierce afterward. But again, it’s manageable. My idea of pain is decidedly different after living through last July. I think I have a very good chance of meeting the half marathon goal I made in my last post. After all, it’s only February.

And speaking of February, the 4^th is our wedding anniversary, and this year it was the big 0-5. J Five years went by pretty fast. A reminder to live well, and appreciate every bit of it. I have an incredible wife and it was great to celebrate and reflect on our years together. Love you babe!

A great night out with a great wife:

On another note, we had our annual spring fake-out that affects the moods of every Northerner this past week. Temps above freezing all week, and we saw the sun! Yeah, that’s a big deal in an area that’s used to only seeing the sun when it’s bitter cold. It was actually too warm to do any worthwhile Nordic skiing, so I chose hiking Interstate State Park last weekend. Warmth and color felt great. There were even people climbing bare rock at the MN strip. It’s back to winter for while, but it’s a sign that it won’t last a whole lot longer.

Near Sentinel Crack in Interstate State Park, looking across from MN:

I can feel Spring coming; the world is emerging from the snowpack:

I’ve been thinking about the other goal I set of getting back to century riding, and I may have a solution, but it’s admittedly early and might not work. Every year I say I’m going to take part in MN’s first widely advertised century event of the mainstream cycling season, the MN Ironman in Lakeville. It’s the end of April, and sometimes the weather is less than what people hope for. Every year, I say “this is the year I’ll finally get around to seeing this event”, and then I decide when it comes around that paying to ride in Lakeville sounds rather stupid, and I don’t do the event. But perhaps it’s the right way to go this year. It’s a rather flat course, with lots of support, and might be a perfect century for a post surgery comeback. I’m thinking of putting this on my calendar if my chest will take it. Plus, if it doesn’t, it’s a very non-committal route, and someone can pick me up at any point if I fail. Whatever century I attempt, I’m nicknaming it the “Shrapnel Benjamin”. Do you like the play on words? J

As you were…

Midpoint of winter and healing.

Winter. Tough season in the North. Anyone who has read my blog over the years it has been around has been exposed to my regular pattern: summers are pretty great for me, staying outside a lot, fall is even better. Winter sets in and I dig the snow for a while, then come this exact time of the year I'm over it. Sort of- in a way I still like it (don't worry, I don't intend for this to be a negative post). I actually do enjoy the Northern winter for some of the very reasons I want it to end. A paradox, but it is what it is. I like that it is fierce- that produces the adventure found within it. Winter cycling and backpacking, skiing and snowshoeing, and the indoor portion- months getting strong in the climbing gym- this is all great stuff. But my body still plays the standard 98.6 degree game, finding it much easier to play in comfortable weather, and I don't blame it. And I always long for more of the West. That wont go away. This year in particular, it has been hard to get psyched for the cold. I don't need to tell the same surgery story all over, it's been posted.

But a harsh winter produces something great- a huge appreciation of your abilities within a tough climate, and an even bigger enjoyment of the warmer months when they show. And this spring will possibly be the best spring I have seen in some time, as I will be not only emerging from a northern winter that lasts the standard 5-6 months, I'll be emerging from an even longer period of physical healing, and I'm starting to see the signs of it now. Feeling anxious often means there's stored energy and new ability.

A couple entries ago, I wrote some decidedly negative words on how I've felt about my recovery- every now and then a person can't help it. Sometimes thats the fuel to pick yourself up and make the best of something. I've been to the doctor again since then, and his encouragement to me has been to ease back into higher physical exertion, which I've been waiting a long time for. I also mentioned recently I've gotten on a treadmill for the first runs since last June. After a few of them now, I can say they are going fairly well. Actually, very well for having major reconstructive surgery. Last night I managed to run (slow and easy) 3 miles, and walk another .5. I've found out that if I run wearing a pair of cycling bibs, the shoulder straps keep my pecs from bouncing (and thus hurting due to rubbing on the bar/buried nerves), and I can jog at a slow pace. I'm going to rejoin my climbing gym in about 4 weeks, where I can continue to run, and even start some top-roping (doc changed his mind about this recently- he didn't really understand before the safety involved in indoor climbing- that there is extremely little chance I'm going to take a big punch to the sternum top roping something easy, so he said it's ok- much earlier than the July I thought I'd have to wait for- we'll see how my chest takes it though- I don't intend to hurt myself). So, even as I write this, I can see more clearly that I'm actually coming along alright toward living the active life I've enjoyed so much in the past.

I think it's time to set some goals for the year. This may be difficult, as I don't know exactly how hard I'll be able to go in the coming months, but it never hurts to work toward something- even if you don't make it. Trying is better than not. The goals I have in mind so far (only so far- I'm sure my mind will get more and more excited to go bigger as I heal further) are to ride a century before the bar in my chest is removed in July, and to run my first half marathon this year. I'd like to run a full marathon, and preferably a trail marathon, but I will have to see how my body works before getting carried away too soon. Each month will involve a little more activity, and we'll see how far I can go.

There is a decent chunk of this winter left, but it can be enjoyed with the right appreciation. And it's going to build a great spring. It may not be a record-setter of a year, but I intend to make it the best I can.

Feeling the excitement of winter breaking, last year in Yosemite, running in FiveFingers (60 degrees in the Valley):

A few quicker steps...

Last weeks blog entry I shared that I've felt pretty down about my fitness level this far after surgery. Tonight helped to feel a bit better. It was a small step, just like when I blogged a couple months ago about returning to my indoor cycle trainer after only walking for exercise. Tonight I was able to run a mile on my in-laws treadmill. My chest was uncomfortable, but it held up fine and overall the run was great. It was a huge contrast from the last time I ran, which was a 9 mile trail run in Yosemite Valley two weeks before my surgery in July. But to go 1 mile after such a big surgery is great. There's got to be a starting point for each activity, and this was better than I've been expecting for a return to running. We'll see how I feel tomorrow, but I'm happy that it went well.

Here I am again...

Time to say something, I suppose. I’ve been neglecting to write for the past couple months, for a few reasons. I didn’t really plan the hiatus from blogging, but as anyone who writes knows, you just have those times were the motivation isn’t there.

There has been plenty to talk about, but not the usual material I post, as I’m still recovering from my big irritating surgery six months ago. I imagine the motivation to post will strengthen along with the number of days I get to spend playing outdoors since that’s what I usually write about.

As far as how I’ve been spending all this time; it’s been pretty varied. I guess I have to back up a couple months to catch up and hit the highlights.

November held a good event for me to live vicariously through the outdoor-strong crowd, with a chance to attend the Midwest Mountaineering Outdoor Adventure Expo, which included the Banff Mountain Film Festival, and a clinic put on by Dean Potter. I got a chance to take in countless accounts of outdoor epics, and had a very quick talk with Dean himself.

The same weekend, Alison and I headed down to Texas to visit with family. We have a new niece, Ellie Dakota, and it was great to see everyone. I’m still getting used to the “uncle” thing. We almost didn’t make it down, as the Cities had their first winter weather smack in the face- freezing rain that caused countless accidents. You can see how nice our roads were in St. Paul- this is my name scratched into the glare ice we drove over to get to the airport:

Other family trips happened as well, some good, some not. After Thanksgiving, the family lost my uncle Skip. He had a long battle with a beat up heart, and passed away at the family farm with my parents along side him. The funeral in Minot, ND was small- many couldn’t make it as we had our biggest blizzard in around 20 years here in the Cities, and flight/trains/cars/whatever you tried was delayed or cancelled. I just managed to squeak in on a Skywest flight the morning after the storm and made it to the funeral on time. It was a nice memorial; more of a collection of good/humorous memories than a traditional service, which is what we think he’d have wanted. It was also a good chance for our family to get together from around the country again. Here's a shot of me with cousins I don't get to see very often; Mira, from NY, and Andrew from CA (great to see you guys!):

Alison and I made it up to Minot again after the funeral weekend, and spent time with everyone there for the holidays. It was great to see everyone, including my grandma, who is in a home in Mohall, ND with dementia, and my grandpa, who lives in Westhope, ND. It’s a little harder to coordinate visits to see them often, and we always appreciate the chances we get.

We also had the chance to spend time with relatives here in the Cities over Christmas weekend. Here is Alison's grandma with all of us grandkids:

As for surgery updates, and getting in shape again:

I can’t sugar coat it; I’ve been feeling a major low point in my fitness level in this whole process, and it’s hard to deal with. I’m sure that’s had something to do with my silence on this blog. Before surgery, I was climbing pretty strong for a Midwesterner, cycling big miles and solo tours, backpacking strong, and progressing well into being a minimalist shoe runner, tackling my first couple “longer” (for me) trail runs in Yosemite Valley. I feel like I’m so far away from being there again after I chose to have my procedure. Thinking objectively, I knew ahead of time that I’d have a bad year, which I could expect to then see improvement afterward- hopefully progressing beyond my pre-surgery abilities. So I know this is part of it all. But saying that is one thing when decided to have a big surgery. Actually living through that terrible year is something else completely. It’s a lot of time for negativity and doubts to get in your head, while you are feeling weak, but accustomed to being strong. I may change my mind in the future, but I’m not yet very happy with the results of having this surgery. I guess it’s because I haven’t yet had a chance to see whether or not I will see an improvement in heart function. Cosmetically, there has been some improvement from pre-surgery days, but I’m not all that excited about it. At this stage of still-low exercise/fitness, that’s all I’m able to judge. I again have a large depression in my chest. It’s definitely not flat or “normal” looking, whatever normal is. I don’t know if this is because of my chest sinking in a bit again, or if it more an issue of severe muscle atrophy after months of non-use. Seems to me it is a combination, as my doctor has alluded to either case, giving different answers to the same questions over time, which is very frustrating. It would help to feel good about the procedure if I wasn’t so concerned that I will just end up watching my chest regress back to where it started, which does happen to some people. All I can do is wait and see what happens, and try not to let it drive me crazy in the process.

I have been getting out on snowshoes and riding my cycle trainer when I can to try to further limit my loss of fitness and keep myself sane. There have been some good walks as this year has seen record snow here. La Niña is what they’re saying.

Not a ton of snow yet in this shot. Walking Afton State Park, early winter:

Walking Fort Snelling State Park, Christmas morning:

Night of the big blizzard, outside my apartment in St. Paul:

Post-holing down Summit Ave in Saint Paul??

I may try to start running a very small amount if I can get access to a treadmill again soon. I’ve gained a light case of “man-boobs” while getting out of shape, so that on top of healing pectorals and a bar in my chest riding on nerves might not make for tolerable running, even if it’s light. We’ll see.

Something that’s helped me in all my healing woes is reading/watching stories of other outdoor folks who’ve overcome after injury, even paralysis. I bought a Nook, from Barnes and Noble recently, and read climber Steph Davis’s book, High Infatuation. In one chapter, she wrote about her friend who became paralyzed below her upper abdominals in a climbing accident, but who just a year and a half later went on to climb El Cap in Yosemite by basically doing four thousand pull ups. Awesome. Perhaps I’m just a colossal whiner for feeling down about my own chest issues. It could be way worse, and people overcome a lot more.

I intend not to fall off my blog for another two months, I appreciate your continued reading. I hope to have good news of getting stronger and feeling better, and I hope to continue spending my time recovering alongside great family.

4 Months Post-op

Tomorrow will mark 4 months from my pectus excavatum surgical correction. Tonight was the first time I’ve pedaled a bicycle since the operation.

Stats:

Bike: Surly Long Haul Trucker

Duration: 40 minutes

Approx. Caloric Burn: 500

Mileage: 0

Scenery: Living Room of My Apartment

I don’t think I’ve ever appreciated a lame indoor mag-trainer ride as much as tonight. As of this past week, my doctor cleared me for light exercise beyond the walking I’ve been doing. I’m ten pounds heavier after four months of being pretty much sedentary (compared to my traditional outdoor recreation lifestyle), and this is despite a whole lot of muscle atrophy. This means I am fatter than I’ve ever been, and I can’t wait to turn that around. It was necessary to take it easy for quite a while after this big surgery, but now it’s going to be necessary to ease back into getting in shape. It will take time- how much, I really don’t know. My chest still has a long way to go before I can really work out hard- my doc says bone takes a good full year before you can trust it like before it was broken (with a big break like what was done to my sternum). Plus, I’m still experiencing a lot of the “clicking” in my chest that I blogged about a few posts ago, and it’s thought now that I may have a section of cartilage that has not yet bonded to my sternum from the respective rib. So basically, it’s a bit loose, and rubbing/knocking as I move. Yes, it feels as disgusting as it sounds. I was told that it may require a third surgical procedure (at the same time as my second (bar removal)) to tie it to its place at my sternum and encourage the bond to finally happen. I don’t claim to have a great understanding of how this works; I just know I’ll really appreciate when it’s done and I don’t feel like I have parts loose in my chest cavity.

Also during my appointment, I finally got to take a look at the chest scans I had done pre-op that my surgeon used to determine both my need for correction and which procedure would be used to do it. They are pretty nuts.

This is a cross section of my chest with the orientation of looking from my waist up, at one of the deeper sections of the deformity. It really shows how badly my sternum was recessed, and thus squashing the anterior of my heart. This is why my heart could not expand normally during exercise, and I experienced high heart rates, labored breathing, and early fatigue.

This is an X-ray showing how deep my chest wall was recessed. If you know what to look for, you can see how little distance there was for my heart in between my anterior chest wall, and my spinal column. That’s my heart again, squished into the only space it could find.

And this is another cross section, now a vertical slice of my chest at a depth where it can be seen just how twisted my sternum was, in addition to being recessed. This is one of the many reasons I had to go with the Ravitch procedure as opposed to the minimally invasive Nuss procedure. My sternum needed to be broken, with a large wedge of it removed to get it into the same plane and off of my heart.

Here is a more pleasing scene- my Trucker in my living room. I was so happy to be able to handle a ride. My chest is still hurting, but it’s now pain that is tolerable and safe to exercise through according to my doctor. I was told that I may continue to experience pain from the surgical bar supporting my chest, as it can put slight pressure on nerves from time to time (as I’m sure you realize, we’re not really originally designed to have stuff lodged in us, but it works).

The Trucker felt just like I remembered, and I felt at home again pedaling after thinking about it for too long. I’m not sure the full fenders, racks, and frame pump were needed while touring my living room, but they come with the ride. Nor do I suspect there’s even that many Long Haul Truckers even getting slaved to mag-trainers; generally they’re just not the “training” folks pick of bikes. Bike Snob NYC would have something to say. But it was the upright geometry I was looking for in a true recovery ride. I look forward to more non-eventful, safe, and lame trainer work through the winter. Then I’ll be ready for something real when the spring comes. I’m coming back from the couch.

Playing with GPS data...

I've owned my GPS, a Garmin eTrex Vista HCx for a couple years now, and I'm still learning how I can benefit from it. It's taken me a long time to learn the Basecamp software that came with it, mainly out of laziness. I work with frustrating computer programs and work, and that leaves me with little motivation to learn new programs at home, but I've been interested in publishing routes from my GPS to this blog, so I've done a little investigating. I've found a few ways to do it, but the only one I've understood to the point of getting it to work is through the MapMyRide.com site. I can upload .gpx files from my Garmin, save them as routes, and then it creates programing code that I can copy and paste into a blog entry, and the route shows up here on the blog. Easy enough for me. It seems to default to regular Googlemaps "street" mode, and I'd prefer the "satellite" or "topo maps" modes, but you can view these by clicking the "View Full Screen" link on the map, and it will take you to and expanded page to see those views (once on the full screen page, there's a selector in the upper right of the map).

The whole point of trying to do this is to share rides, runs, and hikes on this blog. Seeing as I don't have recent trips of any sort to show off, I posted a trail run from Yosemite done last February to at least try out the process. In the future, I should be able to share notable adventures and interesting routes via my actual GPS tracks just like this:

Recovery walks...

Well, I'm at Day 95 of recovery. Things have been getting slowly better, slowly being the key word...but also better. :)

I still haven't ridden a bike, other than sitting atop the Karate Monkey in my living room and rolling ahead a few feet to see how it feels. It started out feeling terrible- my pectorals weren't excited about me leaning over that far and putting pressure on a handlebar, but as of this weekend it's feeling tolerable. I may try to go for a very short ride sometime soon, as my doctor told me it should be ok, as long as I'm not feeling pain. We'll see.

Fall hikes/walks have continued to be my form of exercise to get away from all the sitting in front of the TV. MN has been enjoying a stellar fall this year- I'd say the best one since we moved back this direction in 2007. The sky has been largely sunny for a long time now, temps anywhere from 50s to 80s (yeah- 80's; a bit too hot some days), and the colors stayed out for quite a while. Definitely better than last year, when Oct. was just a big cold raining mess (although I did enjoy the raining mess rides as per usual for me.) Just wasn't much for fall colors in '09.

Since it's been so nice out, the Fivefingers season has been longer than normal. It's been great getting out in the North Woods to hike in them so often. It makes me miss running, which I'll have to wait until at least mid-Jan. to try again, but I like the hiking for now.

I also tried something new while outside this fall and in need of a "take-it-easy" pass-time while recovering- geocaching. I think my verdict on that is that it would be fun with kids, getting them out to treasure-hunt, but I don't see myself getting much into it when there is so much cycling and climbing around. I just own a GPS and thought I'd kill some time one day up on the North Shore, and found a couple caches. It's kind of funny to know there are all these silly coffee cans filled with junk buried around the places I've spent so much time recreating in.

Fall will hopefully continue for a while longer, but I can say that I'm actually ready for the winter. I'm enjoying the colder temps and jackets, and progressing through the winter season will mean I'm getting closer to full recovery days. I'm really looking forward to next Spring!

Shovel Point in Fall:

Relaxing at along the Caribou River:

I seem to have some "tree-antlers" in this shot, but I still seem happy to be off the couch...

More scenery along the Caribou River, Northern MN:

Alison at Jensen Lake, Lebanon Hills Regional Park:

Fivefingers in the woods:

Bridge Pond, Lebanon Hills Regional Park:

Trail around Jensen Lake:

Esbit heating up dinner near Stoney Point, Lake Superior, north of Two Harbors: