My problem has been that my fracture has not healed - or a non union as they refer to it in medical circles. 4 1/2 months after the accident, I have little neck mobility and pretty substantial pain during neck flexion/extension. My orthopaedic surgeon wanted to send me for surgery after two months, but unfortunately, any of the fusing techniques used to fuse C1 relegates the patient to a guaranteed, permanent loss of 50% neck mobility. I have also been wearing a bone generation machine with electrodes attached to the lateral portion of my neck.

With all of that, last Sunday I was riding my trainer when I was just struck with the need to be on a real bicycle. I jumped off the trainer, put on my Bolle sunglasses and Giro helmet, and with stiff neck brace in place, I headed down the road. Although I did only 11.99 miles averaging 17.485 mph, and had to bend my eyeballs upwards as hard as I could to simply see down the road, it was an incredible freeing and exhilarating experience for me. The endorphins lasted for two days. I followed that performance mid week, and had the joy of hitting 31.1 mph in the park near my house. My son was quite mad at me for taking such a chance with a broken neck and opined that people must have thought I was someone who had escaped from the local mental institution!

It is true that I have been off of the forum. I have been struggling with bouts of depression dealing with this unfortunate turn in my life, and have just not had the inclination to deal with something in which I could not personally participate. I do intend to beat this, and I refuse to give up the goal of winning the National Senior Games time trials in Louisville in June of 2007!