The Last Ride......For at Least a Few Weeks

We had spring weather in eastern Colorado today -- high temperature of 74F with overcast skies (lenticular clouds probably 15-20K AGL) and strong winds from the west. The downslope from those winds is the cause of the high temperature.

Four members of the Motorcycle Sport Touring Association rode over from Loveland, about 15 miles west of here, and we ate lunch at Rudy's BBQ (a transplant from central Texas) and then took back roads up into Wyoming.

We went east of Greeley to Kersey, north past Gill, to Briggsdale, and then to Hereford, over the border past Carpenter, WY, and on into Cheyenne. Then it was south on US85. We split off for optimum routing back to our homes.

The wind was "exciting", especially in Wyoming and along 85. I'd guess we had gusts of 45-50 mph. It wasn't pretty day and the roads we rode are mostly straight with an occasional bend. During some times of the year, it can be a very pretty ride, but today it was just dead, brown grass. The pronghorn antelope that live out here were all laying down out of the wind today and I didn't see any. I saw a few hawks, but that was about it as far as wildlife went.

I was leading the ride, and my guess is that I'll never be given that honor again by these guys. When we got to Cheyenne, I was ready for coffee and a biological break, but I rode past the Pilot truck stop at the intersection of County Road 209 and I-80, thinking we'd see something on US85 south of the interstate.

Wrong! Well, not entirely, but the Burger King immediately south of 80 didn't appeal to me. Little did I know that the next place (that wasn't just a convenience store/gas station combo) was 43 miles farther down the road.

The temps are going down 15-20 degrees tomorrow through Monday and I've got a lot of stuff to do before my surgery, so I'm reasonably sure that today was my last ride until I get back on my feet.

It was 156 miles and rolled my total for '17 all the way up to 165 miles. Woo-Hoo!!

Glad you got out today. I'll bet you really needed that - even in the wind.
I believe you said that Tuesday was the day of your surgery. Here's wishing you the best of luck for a successful outcome. While you are recovering don't forget to update us with your usual detail of how things are going.

To quote Red Green "Remember I'm pulling for you - we're all in this together"

Thanks, Jim. I probably won't take the computer to the hospital with me, but supposedly, I'm going to be kicked out on Thursday afternoon. I'll post an update then.

Hmmmm....well, I was green with envy, not having been able to ride since Nov. due to constant snow...till I read the word Surgury?
Did I miss a thread somewhere???
Maybe I am more senile than I thought.....

Glad you had an opportunity to get in a few miles... All the best to you during surgery and recovery / therapy.

Coyote Chris said:

Hmmmm....well, I was green with envy, not having been able to ride since Nov. due to constant snow...till I read the word Surgury?
Did I miss a thread somewhere???
Maybe I am more senile than I thought.....

Click to expand...

Phil is getting his sixth knee installed.

Seagrass

Coyote Chris said:

read the word Surgury?
Did I miss a thread somewhere???
Maybe I am more senile than I thought.....

Click to expand...

Yeah, Chris, you probably are more senile than you thought. I know I am getting more and more that way -- no reason an old guy like you shouldn't be.

I'm scheduled for knee replacement #6 at 4:30 in the PM on Valentine's Day. This knee is 13 years old. The joint is OK -- except for the fact that it sounds like as ratchet wrench when it moves. But the tibial implant has been pressing on the inside of the tibia and has caused the bone to move. My orthopod says it looks like a fracture on its way. I asked him when I should do something about it and he said, "Oh, some people would say you could wait a year, but since the chances of a break there keep going up as time passes, I'd say you need to do it within the next six months."

I 'splained to him that that wasn't going to cut it and he asked why. I suggested he think about when six months would be. He did and said, "Oh! Riding season." He may be a bone doc, but he's no dummy. He told me had openings in February and I should book the first one of those so I could be back on the bike by the end of March/early April.

that sounds like a good time table, then you can make it to WV

Sounds like a fun ride to say the least. Most of mine have been just back and forth to work here of late.

Most of our snow from two days ago is melted and for today, they're predicting a high in the upper-50s so I'm going for a ride with some pals. Next weekend, they're predicting 58-62-62 so another good weekend for riding! Are these signs of an early spring? :smile:

Glad you were able to get that last ride in before your knee surgery. Wishing you a successful knee replacement and a quick recovery Phil.
I have not been on any of my bikes since last October! Need to fix that!

Phil Tarman said:

Yeah, Chris, you probably are more senile than you thought. I know I am getting more and more that way -- no reason an old guy like you shouldn't be.

I'm scheduled for knee replacement #6 at 4:30 in the PM on Valentine's Day. This knee is 13 years old. The joint is OK -- except for the fact that it sounds like as ratchet wrench when it moves. But the tibial implant has been pressing on the inside of the tibia and has caused the bone to move. My orthopod says it looks like a fracture on its way. I asked him when I should do something about it and he said, "Oh, some people would say you could wait a year, but since the chances of a break there keep going up as time passes, I'd say you need to do it within the next six months."

I 'splained to him that that wasn't going to cut it and he asked why. I suggested he think about when six months would be. He did and said, "Oh! Riding season." He may be a bone doc, but he's no dummy. He told me had openings in February and I should book the first one of those so I could be back on the bike by the end of March/early April.

Click to expand...

Phil, do those knees include your original ones? Sigh.... what is to be done with Phil? Best wishes and you might be riding before I will....70 continuous days of snow on the ground....the driveway is so slick we have to be careful driving our cars down it.
Glad your sawbones can get you in early....we all will have good thought and hope you post your operation on Youtube....you can show it at the rally....
Chris at Ice Station Zebra

Good luck with the replacement. You've done this before and know pretty much what to expect and how rehab goes. Keep us posted.

Terry

Chris, you didn't address Phil's comment on senility. The forum needs some element of entertainment. Or are you in denial.
And my driveway looks like yours and probably will for the next two months.

Phil, I did too, got out for a ride yesterday. OK, so it was 200 miles south of here and it wasn't on my motorcycle. But I did get on a motorcycle and ride it.
And I rode my fat bike this AM as well. But my fat bike is a little short on horsepower (like maybe about 1/4hp max) although it weighs about 550# less than the NT. My fat bike is quick though. It can make it all the way to the ground very quickly.
There is a lot of ice under the layer of snow on the top. Roads are pretty slippery.

Have not been able to ride since mid November and probably will not until mid to late March. Intersections around here are caked with salt. We need a good steady rain to clean that crap away.
Phil, good luck with your surgery and recovery.

Good luck on your knee surgery--will have you in my prayers. Just a thought--if you have any more knee replacements, some may think that you were cross bred with a centipede.

junglejim said:

Chris, you didn't address Phil's comment on senility. The forum needs some element of entertainment. Or are you in denial.
And my driveway looks like yours and probably will for the next two months.

Phil, I did too, got out for a ride yesterday. OK, so it was 200 miles south of here and it wasn't on my motorcycle. But I did get on a motorcycle and ride it.
And I rode my fat bike this AM as well. But my fat bike is a little short on horsepower (like maybe about 1/4hp max) although it weighs about 550# less than the NT. My fat bike is quick though. It can make it all the way to the ground very quickly.
There is a lot of ice under the layer of snow on the top. Roads are pretty slippery.

Click to expand...

I am so senile I forgot! I have CRS desease. Cant Remember shoot.....or something like that.....

Coyote Chris said:

I am so senile I forgot! I have CRS desease. Cant Remember shoot.....or something like that.....

Click to expand...

Me too. But mine comes and goes and has some major flare-ups. But I think I can remember how to get back to Spearfish so I can tell big lies with the rest of you guys. We can keep telling the same lies because no one can remember last year's stories OR we just weren't paying any attention.

One of the best things about getting old is that I can enjoy hearing the same stories (lies?) over and over because I don't remember ever hearing any of them before. Or telling any of them before.

Joanne can't remember much, but she seems to be sure that she's heard every single story I tell...more than once.

Oh, well....

The forecast for Central Mn says sunny skies and temps in the 50's all week. Looking forward to it.