Kathy Crandall writes thusly:
Shoulder surgery went well.
They were able to plate it … as opposed to the alternative (shoulder replacement)
I’m still thinking Thursday or Friday (before John’s ready for visitors), but if it’s sooner, I’ll post.
I’ll check out the old fart tomorrow.
Good news. I’ve always said I’d rather get screwed than replaced. Here’s hoping John feels likewise.
Bike Month finally comes to Colorado in June (we’re a little slow). Naturally, the weather has gone to hell, with showers and thunderstorms in the forecast all week long. Bugger. I’ll bet it won’t slow down the guy we saw cycling through the Garden of the Gods yesterday, the dude with two prosthetic legs. Somehow I doubt a little precip’ will turn him into a weepy little girl.
I’m another story, of course. A sensitive artiste. Dribble a little water on me outside of cyclo-cross season and I melt away like the Wicked Witch of the West; what a world, what a world. Nevertheless, I plan to reprise my usual Bike Month vow, which is to leave the Forester parked as much as is possible for a lazy fat bastard.
That should be a little easier this year as I have expanded the collection of “bicycles” in the Mad Dog fleet. In addition to the usual Bike Month workhorse, a Soma Double Cross with rack, panniers and fenders, there’s the Vespa LX50 — which under Colorado law is classified as a “motorized bicycle.” So I’ll ride the scooter whenever I’m feeling a tad fragile or don’t want to turn up someplace all sweaty and fragrant.
While we’re on the topic of healthy pursuits, my man Hal Walter over at Hardscrabble Times advises that Phil Maffetone’s latest iteration of his popular book “In Fitness and in Health” is now available from Amazon.com. Hal edited this fifth edition, along with a couple of others, and he and Phil are collaborating on a new blog with news about the book, health and fitness tips, recipes and other goodies. Swing on past and take a gander.
And finally, Kathy Crandall advises that Old Town Bike Shop’s John Crandall, injured in a bike-car crash, undergoes shoulder surgery today and may be ready for visitors by Thursday or Friday. Think good thoughts and stay tuned.
A toast to Denis Menchov and Rabobank mechanic Vincent Hendriks, who between them managed to save the big Russian’s maglia rosa after he crashed short of the line in today’s rain-lashed final stage of the centenary Giro d’Italia.
I was casually rooting for LPR’s Danilo Di Luca, based on his balls-to-the-wall attacking style, but nobody can say Menchov didn’t have the final win coming. He had the legs and the brains, and that pretty much seals the deal unless someone else is better equipped in both departments. Nobody was in this Giro, not even the relentless Di Luca.
Elsewhere, you’ve been expressing lots of good thoughts in comments about my friend and neighbor John Crandall. Between work, cooking and visitors, I haven’t been able to pay him the attention he deserves, so thanks for filling in for me.
I’ve been buying bikes, parts and service from John and the Old Town Bike Shop crew since I moved back to Colorado from Oregon in 1983 or thereabouts, and I’ve never gotten anything less than stellar treatment. And it’s not because I’m that Patrick O’Grady, either — John and the gang go the extra kilometer for all their customers, not just the ones who happen to work for bike magazines. And John has more on his mind than simply putting folks on top-shelf two-wheelers, as this story from the Bibleburg Gaslight shows.
I obviously haven’t been to visit John yet, and I understand another surgery is planned for tomorrow, so it may be a while before I have a chance to pay my respects in person. I’m sure his wife, Kathy, will chime in from time to time — Kathy, if this suits you as a forum, by all means put it to whatever use you deem proper — and between the two of us, we’ll keep you posted.
Old Town Bike Shop’s John Crandall is in the hospital after a high-speed collision with a car during his usual weekend ride to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and back. The short list is a broken femur and right wrist (plates and bone-graft surgery for that yesterday), plus a broken left shoulder (surgery for that slated Monday).
For those of you in town, the word is that John’s not ready to have visitors yet. I’ll keep you posted.
It finally stopped raining for a couple of days, and Tonatiuh the sun god has delivered us a long-overdue solar stimulus package. The cats couldn’t be happier — especially Turkish, a.k.a. Mighty Whitey the Blue-Eyed Bully of Bibleburg, Big Pussy, the Turkinator, Turkenstein, et al. Indoors is anathema to the big galoot, who on rainy days stalks from door to window to basement to office, making a doleful sound not unlike helium escaping from a leaky balloon.
Mia Sopaipilla is less demanding, but she’ll take the outdoors on a sunny day, if it’s offered. And so will I. I got out for a quick hour on the ‘cross bike, and wowsah, has the foliage ever exploded. All of a sudden there’s shade on the bike path — which is not always a good thing.
Once those spindly trailside trees fill in with greenery, every blind corner is one more crank on the handle of the old jackoff-in-the-box. A guy has no idea what’s gonna pop up. But whatever it is, it’s probably gonna be wearing an iPod.
I’ve thought about mounting a bullhorn on my handlebars, or maybe an air-raid siren, but my poor bike is already carrying more than enough weight. What a shame the iPod isn’t equipped to receive radio. Just think what fun you could have with a mic’ and short-range transmitter. “Hey, Wide Load, watch your six, incoming! Shift three feet to starboard. And put on a shirt, f’chrissakes. You look like a Wookiee with an eating disorder.”
