FAIRHILL JAMBOREE 2008

I was initially unsure about doing this ride. Fairhill is one of my favorite places to ride, but since I have ridden 4 times in the last 4 months, I was a little nervous. Our ride there usually go for a good 3-4 hours and I am not in great shape.

Well I am happy to say...I made all 18 miles of the ride and felt great!!!!!!!!! Lots of Phila rides there, and was happy to see Kim and Alex and Roger and Colleen. It is a rare treat to ride with these guys all together. It was like old times before parental responsibilities, on their parts, crept in. Thanks guys...had a great time.

Pictures of the "girls".

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Pictures from the night at my house.

Nice fall day in the wissahickon

Let the pictures do the talking.

Back to the WISSAHICKON...

Today after a hiatus of almost 4 months I returned to one of my favorite places on this earth. Wissahickon park. I started my mountain bike passion there 16 years ago, and have ridden there in all kinds of weather and through all 4 seasons. The trails there are like old friends. When you don't see them for awhile you really miss them.

I couldn't have had better friends to enjoy the trails with today. Treasa an M were perfect companions for my first foray in the woods. It was a spectacular day!!!! Thanks guys.

Pictures from my first ride back...felt good.

What a beautiful day to make my return to the woods. Jill, Elizabeth, Patrice, Marisha and I went to my favorite trails at Belmont Plateau. At first I was a bit tentative, but after I got going I rode a bunch of the logs. It was really great to see everyone again and the ride was perfect. Along the way we ran into Ed, Jimmy and Les. Thanks everyone..had a blast.

HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN:)

SAW THE DOCTOR TODAY.....I AM HEALED ENOUGH TO START MOUNTAIN BIKING!!!! (I DIDN'T LET HIM KNOW I HAD ALREADY STARTED A LITTLE BIT). THE X RAYS LOOKED MUCH BETTER THAN THEY DID ONE MONTH AGO. THE BREAKS ARE STILL THERE BUT SOME DEFINITE HEALING HAS OCCURED. IT MUST BE ALL THE MOUNTAIN DEW I DRINK DAILY!!!
LOOKS LIKE I WILL VENTURE OUT TO BELMONT ON SUNDAY. I STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO WITH THE STRENGTH IN MY CALF AND LEG. MY LEG LOOKS LIKE A "KANKLE" (KNEE GOES STRAIGHT DOWN TO ANKLE WITH NO CURVES). NO LOGS OR ROCKY DOWNHILLS YET, BUT SOON ENOUGH:)
SWAP MEET TOMORROW....YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS.

GREAT WEEKEND

Saturday started off riding down to the dragon boat festival on the Schuylkill river. It was a georgeous day and Treasa and I later met Jill. It was a bittersweet day for me, because I was supposed to be racing today on a boat. Since I broke my leg in July, I had to drop out. If you have never seen a dragon boat they are very large and have a total of 22 people on board. There are 20 rowers, one drummer, and a person that steers the boat. Usually the drummer wears some sort of funny hat or costume. It was very crowded, but it seemed to run as smooth as silk.
It was really nice to see Jill and talk to her for awhile. I have not seen her in months. Seems since I have been out of commission, I have lost contact with most of the people I used to see weekly. Mountain biking has been my social outlet for the past 16 years. I really miss all the rides and conversations with my friends. I will be back soon:)

Today I finished another project bike of mine....I know it is ridiculous..but I had to get another bike to make 9. My blog is called....... Frankie 9 bikes:) Against my doctors wishes, I went to VF park and actually rode on the trails. I felt pretty good and even rode over some logs. I have a really good brace to wear on my leg while biking. I didn't go back to the trail I got hurt on, and I don't expect to be riding anything that technical for another few months. I may even wait until spring to make my return to the site that has changed my life for the past few months.
Have another doctors appointment on Friday. It will be 14 weeks since my surgery at that point. Have my fingers crossed for some really good bone growth.

Next Saturday is the trexlertown swap meet/ flea market. I LOVE this event. I liken it to being a child and going into a giant toy store. I can't wait!!!!!!

GO FLYERS

Went to the Flyers last game today at the spectrum. They had all the past captains there including my favorite...Bobby Clarke. I was disappointed not to see other players like Bernie Parent, but it was just the captains. I think the Spectrum is going to be imploded sometime in 2009. Lots of good memories for all in that building.
Hoping to get some sort of ride in tomorrow. It is supposed to rain again, but maybe just a few miles in my neighborhood. I guess it is better than nothing. I have not had a a lot of initiative to ride this week. The road really just bores me to death. I want trails!!!!

Fun day

So Jim and I met Treasa today at the Valley Green Inn. We rode from the Inn to the Art museum to Manyunk and had a bite to eat at couch tomato. They have really good pizza and salads, if you have not been there. Back on the bike to Valley Green. It was my longest ride yet, about 17-18 miles. My leg felt OK, but I still have such a strength deficit in my calf muscle, that I use my right so much more. Well, that knee is now KILLING me. Feels like a knife is stabbing me under my patella (knee cap). All those high school and college sports have left me with a body that is a bit used up:) Looking back on my younger sports days, I really would not change a thing. Sports gives you such a great network of friends and confidence. By the time I left college I had accumulated 3 surgical scars. Two on my left knee and one on my left ankle. Scars...you gotta love em......really tell a lot of stories. I used to tell younger kids, and some gulible adults, that I had been bitten by a shark on my left knee. Through the years I had the whole story down pat. How big the shark was , how I got away, ect. It was always a lot of fun. Now I have a new ,rather large scar, to add to the story.
Riding this weekend I realized that mountain biking may be farther off than I expected. I can in no way unclip my left foot from a clipless pedal. I can't fall because my tibia is still broken. I have lost a WHOLE lot of strength in my left lower extremity. So for the mean time I will continue to ride my cross bike with anyone willing to come on a "Barney" ride with me. Any takers?

Beautiful day:)

It was a really nice day today. The temperature was perfect for mountain biking, but unfortunately I still can't:( Did get out on a little road ride later in the day. Most of all it was kind of a lazy day. My boston Sidney had it all figured out.

Roadie...me?

We all know how much I despise riding on the road/ road biking in general. Through the years I have made several attempts to buy a road bike and put some miles on it. Each and every time I got bored to death and start looking for trails.
It has been 10 weeks since I actually put my butt on a bike and rode it for any significant distance. I rode my cross bike about 10miles today on the schuylkill river trail. It was still the same old boring flat ride, but it didn't matter because I was riding!!! At times I thought about going off trail into the woods, but I know I am not ready. I intend to keep this up and add some miles if I can each week. Not sure how long it will be until I venture into the woods....

Water polo

Today I went to 2 water polo games that Brooke played in for her high school. I am sure most of you have not seen a water polo game. It is really an exciting sport to watch. It is sort of like a basketball game in the water. The game is fast and can be high scoring. Brooke played the game of her life in the first game. She scored 7 goals!!! I was screaming like a crazy lady every time she scored.

The game went into OT and she scored one of the two OT goals as well. Those of you who know me, understand how competitive I can be. Brooke is not as competitive as I, which makes me crazy sometimes. She has told me many times "I am not you". She is right and I should just sit back, keep my mouth closed, and enjoy these days where she excels.

Sucks!!

I saw the ortho yesterday and I was a bit unhappy. The usual x ray I receive every visit looked almost the same as a month ago!!! There in the middle of my tibia is two rather large cracks. I could show this x ray to anyone and you would be able to pick out the breaks within one second. I had anticipated, since it has been 10 weeks, that the bone would be almost healed by now.

The ortho said it is healing..oh yea...where? I guess he just doesn't get it. I need to get on my bike now!!!!!! I got him to agree that I can start riding my bike on the road as long as I don't fall.

Gotta start somewhere. I also talked him out of wearing that bulky walking boot. I made up some story how that boot really torques my tibia and hurts when I walk. ( it really kind of does). Still unable to walk a long distance without crutches, or stand more than a 1/2 hour without pain.

We also talked about a bone stimulator. Of course insurance won't pay for one until 90 days after injury and piles of paper work to insure you are not healing. I tried to pull some strings ,since that is my field ,and called our rep for medical equipment. He had one loaner he just gave out last week...bummer!!!! So I did what I do best....went to eBay and guess what? I got a $3,000.00 unit for.........$150.00. YES!!!!!! Someone use it for a few weeks on their broken clavicle and doesn't need it anymore. Should be here early next week. One my way to total healing.....I hope.

I also have something to look forward to when I get back to mountain biking. Here is my new frame that I had ordered before my injury, cancelled, and reordered. The last SEVEN DUO LUX 29er seven will be making. Had to sell half my garage to afford this one:)

I miss these girls:)

ORTHO TOMORROW..FINGERS CROSSED

Well, it has been ten weeks since my injury and surgery. I see the ortho tomorrow and I am really hoping to get the go ahead to start riding. It will all depend on the x-ray. I have been riding around my neighborhood with no problem and walking a little on my leg. It is still swollen and painful, but I feel it is time to get moving:)
My time line it to get on some easy mountain bike trails in a month. I have a new bike to build and it is going to be sweeeeeet!

IT HAS BEEN A WHILE :)

Well, since I have had a lot of time on my hands lately I will update my blog. I have been sitting on my butt for the last two months waiting to heal up from my slow moving accident at VF park. I had an open fracture of my tibia and fibula July 4th, with resultant surgery the same night. It is really a weird sight to see the bottom of your leg sticking out at a 90 degree angle and your bone poking through...yuk!!! Took them about an hour to get me out of the woods. They had to do a rescue with the fire company. I am partial weight bearing with crutches and my doctor said not to ride yet...but what does he really know? I rode around my neighborhood!! First time on a bike in two months!!! Felt great. I know I am a long way from mountainbiking, but it felt great to get my butt back on a bike seat.