(Sorry for any grossness...)

Tuesday should be my second day bike commuting in 2-1/2 weeks.

First I felt like I was coming down with the flu, so skipped riding, and after a week I felt better, which led me to ride to work a week ago Thursday...and after riding home, I discovered I had a scab that had formed and torn IN MY NAVEL! It didn't hurt, but it was bleeding and oozing. Since I hadn't been on the bike in a week, and 26 years of near-daily bike commuting hadn't produced any similar sore, I don't think it was the biking.

Friday showed no improvement, plus another torn scab that had failed to stay on so last Saturday I saw the urgent care doctor who said it was slightly infected, but not an indicator of cancer, which is a very small possibility, but worth checking out. He thought it could have been caused by a scratch, a cyst, some trapped dirt or trapped, irritating lint. It's worth noting that in people with non-pierced navels (like me) hairy-bellied men suffer infected navels far more than women, with owners of "outtie" navels, far less.

After a week of thrice daily cleaning and antibiotic application, and two more failed scab-overs, I have finally healed to the point where I think I can resume commuting without re-aggravating my navel wound.

However, to play it safe, I will forgo any weekend ride and wait until Tuesday to resume. (Mondays I drive in order to make a meeting which occurs too far and too soon after work to make in time by bike.)

As many daily riders know, I have been cranky, irritable and depressed from not riding; although nowhere near as bad as my forced year off in 2010 due to a non-cycling injury.

But gazing at my navel, I think I see a light at the end of the tunnel.

P.S. Driving sucks!

I didn't read your post...but nonetheless, suck it up and get on your bike.

Thanks, you motivated me to not wait until Tuesday. I went for a 10 mile ride just now, which is a mile longer than the length of my commute (but half my usual weekend ride). All is fine, and boy, did it feel great!

I was riding 2-3 days after my vasectomy. So I think you can ride with a navel scab.

I thought only mystics spent any time gazing at their navels.

Good luck with a speedy recovery. If necessary, consider taping a square gauze pad over it to prevent irritation while letting it breathe.

sorry to hear about the sore. when i dont ride i kind of hate the world. everyone is happier when i ride.

Opinions are like belly buttons... scabby, I guess?

I had a minor but painful health issue in 2016 and it spoiled my year in many ways

I was off the bike for 2 solid weeks while my whole family had the flu. Son had to do an overnight hospital stay, then I got it, then wife got it, then wife got strep, then son got flu B, and my voice still hasn't fully recovered in nearly 4 weeks. And then last week we had a solid week of rain and clouds. The past 3 Saturdays in a row have been rainy. Memphis currently has received more than 4x the February rain that Seattle has received. Today, finally, sunshine and a great commute. It was so good.

Crusty Old Excuse for Not Riding...
Not riding is depressing, though I don’t get cranky, because I have the alternative of a convenient Commuter Rail commute (link). I did have a five month layoff in 2012 due to a cycling accident. On a recent thread, “So do you track? How do you track? and what do you track?,” I postedUsually my excuses not to ride are due to work, rarely illness, and a navel excuse is novel.

You win.

::backs away slowly, grateful for November's flu shot::

All healed up, I rode in to work this morning but suffered from a small case of "bike-nesia". That's when you've been off the bike for a enough time that your pre-ride dress and prep seems to take forever as you keep having to think and remember what your're trying to do.

Now, I'm about to "suit up" for the ride home.