Wow, just read Rowan and Machka's story for the first time. I can only imagine how hard that year has been on the both of you. Glad to hear recovery is going well for you Rowan, and still progressing. No doubt it's largely due to your physical and mental strength before and after the accident. Congrats Machka on your Graduate Diploma ... especially complete during this difficult time. Impressive! You both are an inspiration to us all.

Excellent !!

Boy, that's a rough turn of events. I hope for better luck for you.

Don't know how I missed this thread for a year, but I did. Perhaps its nicest that I'm reading the most recent stuff now, with Rowan communicating directly and significant progress made. (I recognize that the recent siezure is a setback, but hey, you were communicating well AFTER the seizure - which is great).

I wish you, Rowan, continued progress and (I hope) an enjoyable life during that process for both of you.

BTW, I think that Machka gal is kind of sweet on you. Reading her notes and commentary is quite a love story and charms me.

They seem to have so much in common, too ....

Thanks to both of you -- and everyone else -- for your kindness. Yep, Machka has been a real marvel for me as I have recovered from an incident now 14 months ago that almost killed me.

A little milestone .... 3 days of cycling in a row AND we made it to the end of the Cycleway 2 days in a row!! :)


Friday - Rowan and I got out for a short ride late in the day. It was a lazy day for me after a stressful week, so the sun went down soon after we got out there.

Distance: 7.03 km
Elevation: 44 m
Moving Time: 27:27
Elapsed Time: 28:05
Speed: Avg: 15.4 km/h | Max: 28.1 km/h



Saturday - Rowan and I got out for a longer ride today! And then stopped for fish and chips toward the end of the ride. :)

Distance: 29.36 km
Elevation: 206 m
Moving Time: 1:40:35
Elapsed Time: 2:35:33
Speed: Avg: 17.5 km/h | Max: 28.8 km/h


Sunday -- Went cycling again. Was a bit chilly out there ... 12C to start and down to 8C by the end of the ride. That's three days of cycling in a row in the middle of winter!!

Distance: 27.02km
Elevation: 171m
Moving Time: 1:28:01
Elapsed Time: 1:31:12
Speed: Avg: 18.4km/h | Max: 29.9km/h

We've also started a weekly Pilates class run by a local physiotherapist organisation. It's a very small class and we've got our own programs.

Mine is to get my right hip and lower back in action again.

Rowan's is to work on balance, strength, etc.



Rowan will also be going for a nerve conduction study soon to see if they can figure out what's up with his left leg. No guarantees they'll be able to figure it out, but maybe ...

Hi [MENTION=4588]Machka[/MENTION],

Immediately before this post to your thread, I noted that you had just responded to a current thread on Fifty-Plus in which [MENTION=6062]Rowan[/MENTION] has been put forward as a standard bearer of head injury recovery. So I cite it for other readers of this thread, and recognize you as a paragon of caretakers. :thumb:

Fantastic.

Rowan has reached 65 today! :)

Regarding his injury, he has plateaued, as predicted would happen at the 2-year point. But if all goes well, we'll get out for a little ride this weekend.

A :bday: to Rowan

Enjoy your ride.

Have a wonderful birthday ride! Hope you can get out for it.

Seeing "birthday ride" in this context got me thinking -- always a dangerous thing! 65 miles may be a bit long for Rowan; 65 km isn't a lot better.

But the English system (not used any more by England or most of its former colonies) has so many useful units of length. Could he ride his age in furlongs? That's only a bit over 13 km.

Wishing you both a good ride!
​​​​​​​

I just discovered, this is where the Rowan discussion went!

Machka and Rowan, best wishes to you!

Happy belated birthday, Rowan! early in July, I hit 67.

I just have been browsing through this thread to refresh my memory about all the wonderful people who provided their support by posting on it.

The cycling has been OK for me. Machka has now arranged for us to do 50km rides a month under the Australian Audax system. So that means having the rides' starts, finishes and maybe a checkpoint signed. The 12 done in any of the consecutive months are recorded after finishing as normal randonnees, and there is an award at the end of the year.

There are two other categories that I am hoping to eventually aim for -- 100km a month, and 160km a month (the traditional century distance). At least I think that is how it works.

Machka also has expressed some interest in doing a little exploring at other places, so I have serviced her GT mountain bike, and my old AvantiMTB is back in shape.

I have also converted her original bike that introduced her to racing, a Venture, which ended up too big for her, to a single-speed with a twin-gear hub. I do love my fixed-gear and still do ride it, but in the hllly country becomes a bit of a challenge for me... so flat territory is much preferred on it, whereas the Venture will be able to take a lot of the hills up and down.

There are some other options, including the Bike Fridays, but I really can't go out in the home city without Machka being with me. I still have no driver's licence access because of the brain injury, and frankly, I am a lot concerned about the behaviour of drivers in my area. Which isn't just me -- I had a neuro-psych appointment yesterday and she lives not far from me, and agreed that drivers generally in this city have become dreadful. Sadly, the reminds me of Pcad, and how sad I am he still not around.

So... apart from that, I hope everyone in this 50-plus group is good and healthy in what has been difficult times everywhere in world. Oh, and part of the great news is that Machka finished off her Masters Degree at university.

:thumb: :thumb: x 2

Rowan,
Just reading our post has made my day-week-month, heck, the year for that matter. It is so good to see that you are able to get some cycling in, and you have a wonderful lady to be your guide too. You truly surpassed early expectations for your level of recovery, prayers and hard work won the battle. You and Machka always have a place to stay, and another good meal or three, should you both get back over our way. Sharing my birthday with y'all was so much fun and great fellowship.

Oh, Chapeau to Machka on earning her Masters Degree, perseverance thy name is Machka.

Bill

I am glad to hear from you!! Thank you very much. :) I hope you are well.

Best wishes to you both!

I have been away from this forum for some time as I have finally retired (at the age of 72) and now live in Portugal. Learning Portuguese is tougher than anything I have ever done - including the Savannah Way.

Blessings to both of you. Still remember my stay at your home in rural Victoria back in August 2011. Soon, I will be back in OZ to finally do my Cape York trip - but the country has to open up first.My bike and gear are patiently waiting for me in Victoria.

Rowan, you and Machka are an inspiration to us all!

Rowan There are many additional folks cheering you on who might be too shy to post (moi).

Just checking in on the Rowan situation after a while away .... much better news than I had feared I would find. Both Rowan and Machka are inspiring.