Disappointment

It is Saturday, September 25 - the day of the Big Dam Bridge 100 bicycle ride - and we didn't. After a good start at riding in 2008 and a great year of riding in 2009, 2010 has been hard. Two years ago we rode 32 miles in the Tour de Possum in Texarkana, the Big Dam Bridge in Little Rock and the Mission to Mission Tour in San Antonio. In 2009, we rode 30-40 in Ride with the Eagles in Mt. Pleasant, TX, 55 miles in the BDB, and 62 in the Tour da' Delta in Helena. In January, John had stent surgery and started a beta-blocker. But it was January and we weren't worried. Then came dealing with the frozen pipes, termites, work issues, unexpected changes in weekend routines, issues with John's knee, a change in my beta-blocker, and then the crowning blow - my Achilles Tendon. After taking it easy, ice, and a round of meds, it was time to move forward. A trip to an ankle specialist last week yielded the good news that surgery was not appropriate yet but the treatment is ice, rest, stretching, Advil, and SLOW/FLAT riding. I was already concerned that I wasn't prepared to ride even 32 miles, but I just knew that somehow I could pull it off. But that was - without the Achilles Tendon. That ended all chances. My dear husband refused to ride without me because we do rides together and that helped greatly. But it is still a hard day.....