Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Sandman on June 05, 2005, 10:42:12 AM
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I went riding with a couple of friends yesterday. The trail is called, "Just Outstanding" by the locals, but it's also called Shirley Meadows (http://content.mtbr.com/united-states-trails/california-trails/california-all-other-areas/PRD_165161_4518crx.aspx).
Had a blast. Trail starts in Shirley Meadows, at about 6800 feet and descends to 2600. It's about 16 miles long.
We shuttled to the top and rode down. Moving time was just under two hours, but we took a bit over three hours to make the trip.
Lucky me... I only crashed three times. The first one left a bit of road rash on my leg after I went into an off camber turn a bit fast and just laid the bike down. The second crash caught me in a quick S-turn and try as I might, I couldn't get back to the left. Hit a small tree stump and I don't know how I did it, but I split my big toenail down the middle. (That smarted a bit). Third crash was a largely uneventful tumble over the handle bars.
(http://www.dotdoubledot.com/img/photos/justoutstanding/manzanita.jpg)
(http://www.dotdoubledot.com/img/photos/justoutstanding/lakeisabella.jpg)
(http://www.dotdoubledot.com/img/photos/justoutstanding/justoutstandingtrack1.jpg)
(http://dotdoubledot.com/img/photos/justoutstanding/justoutstandingprofile.jpg)
I'm going to have to do this one again in a couple of weeks.
:D
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Originally posted by Sandman
I'm going to have to do this one again in a couple of weeks.
:D
Once the hemerroids subside a bit?
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didja dress fer safe sex,, errr riding?
helmut, lethars and whip?
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Old guys ride down the hill, young guys ride up the hill.
:D
It looks like lots of fun, Sandman.
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..or walk, slowly, with a stick; complaining bitterly the entire way.
I'm jealous. Looks like a blast.. but worth the two week hospital stay?
;)
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Originally posted by Hangtime
I'm jealous. Looks like a blast.. but worth the two week hospital stay?
;)
Just scrapes and some light bruising. No hospital for me (this time). I must admit, there's pretty good potential for injury. The funny thing is, I'm the tentative one that always asks, "Are we up to this?" and I was the one eating all the dirt.
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Originally posted by Airhead
Old guys ride down the hill, young guys ride up the hill.
:D
It looks like lots of fun, Sandman.
Those young guys can actually breathe in the mile-high air... go figure. :)
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Gotta add... that last 8 miles was all fire-road and screamin' fast. I was going easy and still got up to 30 MPH.
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Originally posted by Airhead
Old guys ride down the hill, young guys ride up the hill.
:D
It looks like lots of fun, Sandman.
Reminds me of an old joke about an old bull an a young bull looking at a herd of cows.
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Sounds like my adventure last year at Crested Butte CO.
My sister has a "home" above the ski area. I mountain bike alot in the winter and ride the roadie in the summer so I am in decent shape.
Get there, wait 2 days to get aclimated to the 10,000 feet and go out and hit it.
On a long grinding climb, just about to die, get pasted by a 12 year old girl and she asked me if I am ok,,,,
Sums up the trip.
Lots of great single track though and beautiful scenery.
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Originally posted by Airhead
Old guys ride down the hill, young guys ride up the hill.
:D
It looks like lots of fun, Sandman.
Old SMART guys ride down, young DUMB guys peddle up. ;)
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looks damn good, is the trail the same width the entire way down? that looks a bit wide
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The first five miles are all single-track... then fire-road for the climb up and the long downhill.
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One last pic... :D
(http://dotdoubledot.com/img/photos/justoutstanding/rash.jpg)
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That's not riding, that's bicycling. You need a horse for riding.
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sandie... even tho you are costing me money in increased medical premiums and may end up as a turnip that I will have to pay nurses to diaper for the next 40 years.....
I support your right to play on your bicycle.
lazs
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I did this run again yesterday. Man... I felt tentative. Really didn't want to get hurt. (Road rash is 90% healed).
About half-way down, I managed to dump the bike and almost went over the top. After that, all was well again and we got down even faster than our previous trip.
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Beautiful view...any more pics, or were ya too busy hangin' on for dear life?
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Originally posted by SOB
Beautiful view...any more pics, or were ya too busy hangin' on for dear life?
I took just a couple this time. I'll post them later.
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Thats just great Sandy!
Used to do alot of downhill riding myself unil last summer.
Great fun as long as you wear a helmet. If you forget it you may get some kind of really bad injury and we dont want that. Anyway, you need to use a helmet Sandy.
Ok, back to topic. You need to use a helmet when doing this cause you dont wanna bang your head and get injured.
ok
Great pics Sandy, I hope You use a helmet. You really need to use a helmet to avoid serious head injuries.
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I wear a helmet... even around town. (I'm a wimp.)
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Oh, did i mention the helmet?
;)
What kind of bike do you have, or do you rent?
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Originally posted by Nilsen
Oh, did i mention the helmet?
;)
What kind of bike do you have, or do you rent?
I have a 2004 Trek Fuel 70.
(http://www.bcsport.semily.cz/photo/kola/trek_fuel_70_04.jpg)
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Ah.. way better than mine then. I have a Scott something.. 2000 model.
Have you made any changes to it, or is it stock?
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It's all stock. I'm considering some upgrades though... I'd like to go to SRAM shifters and derailers rather than Shimano. I'd also like to upgrade the front shock from the 80mm to 100 or 120mm.
I gotta add... with bikes of this type, the only "stock" components are the frame, the crank, and probably the handlebars. The rest of the components are made up of a standard mix but the configuration can change from bike to bike depending on parts availability.
For example, I also have a KHS XC104. The components that are on it are better than what is listed on the KHS site, but it was sold as stock.
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Originally posted by Sandman
I have a 2004 Trek Fuel 70.
(http://www.bcsport.semily.cz/photo/kola/trek_fuel_70_04.jpg)
nice, ****load better than the ****ty canadian tire special i used when i was 12-15 (when it was stolen, it was crap but i payed for it myself, bastards) and better than my dads trek 950 ive used occasionally since (not to much in the way of mountain biking around here)
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I belive i have 100, and that is fine for me. It depends on so many things that you prolly need to try out both.
Its been about a year since my last run cause I promised the missus to give it up now that im a dad and all. I got far to many dents and never enough time to be good enough to avoid those horrible flip-overs. Prolly getting abit on the heavy side too ;)
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Originally posted by Nilsen
Prolly getting abit on the heavy side too ;)
Just imagine how heavy you may be when you're 40. ;)
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In 10 years I dont think thats gonna be my biggest problem :D
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Originally posted by Nilsen
I belive i have 100, and that is fine for me. It depends on so many things that you prolly need to try out both.
If I go with a good 120, I can always adjust it down to 100. :)
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Yeah, maybe you can. I didnt know that actually.
Then whats the point of making 100's? They are not that much cheaper to make or buy.
-edit- female is pulling the plug on me now, its 2 in the morning here.
nite.
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I'd take the Exterra down the hill.
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Two pics from yesterday...
This first one is after the last climb up. From here on out it's nothing but eight miles of downhill fire road.
(http://dotdoubledot.com/img/photos/justoutstanding/vista.jpg)
This one is probably midway down the fire road overlooking Lake Isabella.
(http://dotdoubledot.com/img/photos/justoutstanding/lakeisabella2.jpg)
I guess I should mention... I evidently spooked a mountain lion. I didn't see it, but the guy behind me did. Said it was about the size of a Labrador Retriever.
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Beautiful place Sandman... whats the name of that lake in the last picture?
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"This one is probably midway down the fire road overlooking Lake Isabella."
I'm going to go out on a limb here, and guess that it's Lake Isabella. :p
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oh clever!
you read his post :D
gonna try doing that some day
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I rode this trail again on Sunday. The single track went well and after a mile or two into the faster fire-road, I ate it big. I was just starting to feel like I was "in zone" too. I was doing something between 25 and 30 MPH when I launched into my Superman impression.
Got a nice six-inch road rash on my chest, a really really sore shoulder and various other nicks and scrapes.
On Wednesday, I finally decided to see a doctor. She told me what I already knew... nothing broken, but she gave me a really nice Schedule III narcotic.
Vicodin is my friend.
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Be carefull Sandy! At your age you could break a hip or something!
:D
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you've got no say in whether or not you age, but they can't make you mature.
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Originally posted by Sandman
I rode this trail again on Sunday. The single track went well and after a mile or two into the faster fire-road, I ate it big. I was just starting to feel like I was "in zone" too. I was doing something between 25 and 30 MPH when I launched into my Superman impression.
Got a nice six-inch road rash on my chest, a really really sore shoulder and various other nicks and scrapes.
On Wednesday, I finally decided to see a doctor. She told me what I already knew... nothing broken, but she gave me a really nice Schedule III narcotic.
Vicodin is my friend.
Glad yer ok.. when you gonna run it again?
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A few days ago, I would have guessed a month. Now, I think I might be up for it again in a couple of weeks.
I'm rather impressed with how the drugs have allowed me to heal. For the first three days without drugs, there was no progress at all. A couple of days even felt worse than the previous one. The Vicodin and Naproxen has allowed my muscles to relax and heal much faster than without. Even after just one day, I can see a difference. My mobility is returning.
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...er... maybe not.
Damn sprained rotator cuff.
****.
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Originally posted by Airhead
Old guys ride down the hill, young guys ride up the hill.
:D
It looks like lots of fun, Sandman.
I'm old and ride uphill ! But the younger guys I ride with are always first to the top!
Sandy, thats a very nice "groomed" trail. Wish we had it so easy...
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It looked like that in May. It's pretty beat up now.
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Well... two months later and I'm back on the bike. It's been good. I lost a little wind, but I still feel strong. I should be back on my pre-crash pace in no time.
It was interesting. Getting back on the bike got me thinking about how I crashed in the first place. The more I've thought about it, the more I'm convinced that it was the tires that failed me.
So... I did some research. Found that the general opinion on the stock Bontrager tires is that they are absolute ****.
So... New tires today. WTB Velociraptor 2.1. They look grippy as all hell. We'll soon see.
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Lifes tough, wear a helmet..
Or in your case a full body suit..
awesome pics btw.
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Originally posted by Sandman
Well... two months later and I'm back on the bike. It's been good. I lost a little wind, but I still feel strong. I should be back on my pre-crash pace in no time.
It was interesting. Getting back on the bike got me thinking about how I crashed in the first place. The more I've thought about it, the more I'm convinced that it was the tires that failed me.
So... I did some research. Found that the general opinion on the stock Bontrager tires is that they are absolute ****.
So... New tires today. WTB Velociraptor 2.1. They look grippy as all hell. We'll soon see.
glad to see your back on the bike,
tires are def. important, mind sharing the kind u had and the new ones?
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Originally posted by Hawklore
glad to see your back on the bike,
tires are def. important, mind sharing the kind u had and the new ones?
Stock tires were Bontrager. Looked like this, both front and back:
(http://www.nexternal.com/icycles/images/bontragerjones.jpg)
Just installed WTB Velociraptor 2.1.
(http://www.bikesmart.com/products/velociraptor2_1.jpg)
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Watch out for the tree huggers. One of them might shoot you for getting your scraped skin on one of their trees.
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(http://www.adventuremed.ca/photos2003/bike_accident.jpg)
(http://www.funny-games.biz/pictures/bike/accident.jpg)
(http://spincontrol.org/national/bush_bike_accident.jpg)
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Hmmm....Shirley Meadows?...i know that name, but cant place it...were you riding down Greenhorn Mt.?
I used to go up there a lot with my dad (born and raised in Kern county). Theres a old silver miners cabin up there (who was stil living ther and working his mines at the time) and just past the cabin was a huge rock where the natives mashed acorns..holes all over the top of it......standing on that rock you can see Isabella way down below.
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Are you sure you didn't hit your head?
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Originally posted by BlkKnit
Hmmm....Shirley Meadows?...i know that name, but cant place it...were you riding down Greenhorn Mt.?
Shirley Peak is a few miles southwest of there.
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Originally posted by mipoikel
(http://www.adventuremed.ca/photos2003/bike_accident.jpg)
(http://spincontrol.org/national/bush_bike_accident.jpg)
Watch this video (http://members.cox.net/mtbbill/images/milescrash-500k.mpg).
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decent set of tires you have there Sandy
I'm running on Panaracer dart magic BFC 2.1 front and Panaracer DH magic BFC armored 2.2 rear
running em on a hardtail GT Zaskar polished aluminum frame, rock shocks Judy suspention, mavic 217 SUP rim up front attached to a nuke proof carbon fibre/titanium hub, Mavic SUP downhill rim attached to a shimano XTR hub in back.
shimano XT/XTR shifting group using old Sram 800 twist shift.
despite the fact that I'm a light weight guy ( 6 foot 175 pounds) I seem to have a knack for killing rear wheels..in 13 years of riding I've taco'd no less than 20 of em :mad: that's why I run the heavy duty gear in back.
nice trail you have there, a little wide for my tastes but it looks pretty fast. I prefer tight single track.
and about the war wounds...tis but a flesh wound :D...3 broken ribs, left colar bone broken twice, 2 broken bones in my left hand 1 compound (bone poked through the skin, is that the correct word?) break on my right hand, a branch stuck half way through my left for arm, and more road rash than I care to talk about.
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The tightest part of that trail is at the beginning. It's fairly tight winding through the pine forest. Once you descend into the manzanita it starts to widen.
I went for a short ride last night. First part of the trail was all climbing up sand. These tires are incredible going up. Way more bite than the old Bontragers. Coming down was a little dicey though. We've had some rain and there's a crust over the sand. Once you break through it, keeping the front wheel from getting squirrly was a bit of a challenge.
When I got the tires, I went looking for Panaracer Fire XC Pro, but no one in town sells them. The bike shop said that they go through the Velociraptors like mad, so I figured I'd give them a try. So far, I'm happy with them.
EDIT... oh, and nice rig. I'm going to upgrade my front shocks and my rear shock. I'm not deadset on anything yet. Any recommendations? Oh... and the Shimano XT or Sram X9 are definitely in my future. These Shimano Deore need to go.
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sandman, you are next on my list after Toad. I'm gonna hook you up, cause I love you.
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ya they look like they have a great tread pattern on the rear tire... perfect for sand and mud.
you'd do better with a new front tire though. check out the tread on a dart (http://homepage.fcgnetworks.net/jwarren/seth/tires/reviews/darthc.gif) great for directional stability, I haven't had a front tire wash out since i've been riding on them.
imho the best front tire ever made. but that's on generaly hard packed dirt and rock with lots of roots, not much sand up here ;)
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I'll have to order it online, but I'll give it a go. Thanx.
I'm going to buy some extra rims anyway.
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Originally posted by Godzilla
sandman, you are next on my list after Toad. I'm gonna hook you up, cause I love you.
I'm not sure if I should be happy or scared. ;)
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well, just think f-14.
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Ummm... don't I owe you some money for that?
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when I decide to make a model for a vet, I will never accept money.
I'm a slow bstard though.
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have you tried or considered clipless pedals yet Sandy?
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Originally posted by pugg666
have you tried or considered clipless pedals yet Sandy?
I've been considering them for a few months. I'm planning on taking the plunge and installing them in two weeks. My bike dealer is at a tradeshow this week.
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Originally posted by Godzilla
when I decide to make a model for a vet, I will never accept money.
I'm a slow bstard though.
I should at the very least pay for the model.
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I've been considering them for a few months. I'm planning on taking the plunge and installing them in two weeks. My bike dealer is at a tradeshow this week.
go for it, after the first week you won't regret buying them. They are so much more effecient than standard pedals.
prepare for some more road rash though, you have been warned ;)
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Oh joy... all my road rash is healed. :)
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Originally posted by pugg666
go for it, after the first week you won't regret buying them. They are so much more effecient than standard pedals.
prepare for some more road rash though, you have been warned ;)
Put the clipless pedals on yesterday and did my first ride with them today. No road rash, but I have a whole different set of muscles that are sore.
I need to adjust the right cleet a bit also. After an hour, my knee began to ache. I think I'm just off of alignment.
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Just make sure the cleet is centered in the rescesse in the shoe, sounds more like you're just getting used to applying power through a full revolution instead just a half rev.
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It's been almost a year since my last really good biff. Shoulder still isn't right. They did an MRI on my shoulder on Monday and I've got another appointment to see the ortho guy next Monday.
I think there's a good chance for a surgery in my immediate future.
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Originally posted by Sandman
It's been almost a year since my last really good biff. Shoulder still isn't right. They did an MRI on my shoulder on Monday and I've got another appointment to see the ortho guy next Monday.
I think there's a good chance for a surgery in my immediate future.
That sucks Sandy, hope it goes well if you have to have one.
Atleast it is not a hip replacement!:D
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I'll trade you your shoulder for my 2 blown disks......
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Originally posted by Maverick
I'll trade you your shoulder for my 2 blown disks......
Ouch... how'd that happen?
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I'll tell you how I got my 2 blown discs...
Originally Posted by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Whiskey bottle, brand new car.
Oak tree you're in my way.
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Originally posted by Sandman
Ouch... how'd that happen?
Rode hard and put away wet too many times. I have been more than a bit physically active in my life. That and riding motorcycles for a living for more than a decade probably had something to do with it. It was all cumulative. It didn't happen all at once, just the knowledge of a severe problem when I got stuck on my back for a week in rather intense pain.
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Looked at the MRI yesterday. I've got a torn rotator cuff. I've got a combination of things not working right. The inflammation is causing the muscle to be pinched between the ball in my shoulder and the acromion bone above it.
Time to schedule the surgery. A-scope. He's going to shave a bit off the acromion to give the muscle some room to heal and also stich up the tear.
I can't wait. :cool:
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Good luck Sandy, I hope they can patch you up.
You to Mav....
You old timers need to take care of yourselves! :D
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Update... completed the surgery on September 13. The doc stitched up the torn rotator and then went to work on a mangled bursa. I was under for about three hours. Doc was pretty aggressive and had me into the physical therapist the very next day.
Two months and hours of therapy later, I feel pretty good. Went on a good long two hour ride yesterday. Shoulder didn't hurt a bit.
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here's a link to a mountain bike ride (http://www.break.com/index/cool_backyard_track.html) next time you think of taking the old bike out for a ride.
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That was pretty cool.
Nuts.
But cool.