Like the Phoenix

The mythical bird (not the city in Arizona) is said to be reborn from its ashes and so, like the Phoenix, I am going to rise up, rejoin the TransAm Express tour and attempt to finish what I started back in late April.

I've been slowly returning to cycling (on my #1 bike, not the tourer, which is still boxed up for the shipment home from Pittsburgh) several times, including some 40-50 mile training rides, and the abused ribs feel fine. I've slept on the ground again with no discomfort. My PCP has provided a letter attesting to my good health, and the host organization, the Adventure Cycling Association, has very kindly approved my request to return, something I feel the need to do for many reasons... for the memory of Leslie, the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition and my many sponsors, for myself.

I'll fly out to Missoula, MT. on 25 June, reassemble the touring bike and join the group of eight paid participants and two co-leaders for what I hope will be the remaining 900 (or so) miles of the tour, finishing (if I stay upright) in Florence, OR. on 13 July. It will be wonderful to see everyone again (one more participant dropped out since my "Finis" post) and watch them fly along, as at this point they must be in world class condition. My plan will remain essentially the same, which is to say ride at a reasonable, sustainable and safe speed, doing my best to not perform another gravity check this time, as I have already confirmed that it still works.

The damaged derailleur hanger

I must have crashed harder than I thought back on 4 May, as when I checked over the bike later in the month I discovered that the derailleur hanger was slightly bent. It is a small, aluminum part that connects the rear D to the bike's dropout (part of the frame), and is designed to take the shock of such a fall versus bending the dropout (which in most cases, necessitates replacing the entire frame set). The hanger is easily removed and slowly bent back into shape, which I've done. Brilliant little bit of engineering.

Most of you have not seen me in a while, so here is a recent photo showing my TransAm Express beard, started the day I returned home in the hopes of one day returning. So far, my female friends like it by a score of 6-4 with 2 more ambivalent. One positive (I guess) commenter said it made me, "look dangerous" while another less generous friend said, "Nope. You look like a vulture with scrofula."

I will do my best to keep the blog posts current going forward, but I did find it very difficult to do so during the first phase of this adventure. So, thanks to everyone for following along, and for your kind and ongoing support. That helped me heal, and resolved to try again.