See a map of the bike routes
This year did go well for my knee. Those who have read the first part of this story know I have had surgery to repair the ACL and meniscus in my right knee. Well this summer marked a milestone (at least for me) in my recovery. Since the knee surgery I have had a goal to complete the DuPage portion of the Illinois Prairie Path, the Fox River Trail from Aurora to Elgin and the DuPage Great Western Trail. Well this year I made it and then some covering the regional trails that cross them as well.
Not only did I make it this year, I did not have to take aspirin or other pain medications for the knee afterwards. This summer I did 30 miles every other day on the path.
In prior years something always seemed to get in the way of finishing the goal. Sometimes my legs would get sore from not doing the correct preparation. Other years I did not make good enough time to complete the Warrenville - Batavia - Elgin -Wheaton - Warrenville loop before evening. This year, as I said, there was no leg pain and made the large loop with time to spare.
I did more than I planned the day I got the news my dad was in the hospital for the last time. Other members of the family were working so we could not leave for Terre Haute until the next day. So I went for a ride to clear my head. I started riding toward Elmhurst. The next thing I knew I was in Cook County. That made for a long ride back. It was good to be active instead of worrying about things I could not change.
Now to answer the other questions I had said would tell me how my recovery is coming.
That is, can I hike into the mountains?
Yes, I believe I can. We have gone on vacations where we have spent the day hiking the hills of Southern Indiana. As well, we have canoed the Current River in Missouri. We have also, made the three week grand tour of the West. We stopped and hiked at several locations along the way including the rim of the Grand Canyon, Crater Lake, the Redwoods and Yosemite.
Can I kick start the Triumph?
Yes, but I don't anymore. The bike has become the most valuable one I own so it sits while I ride my Virago 750.
Most important for my daughter, can I play basketball?
She is too good for me. We have played, but I am no longer a challenge. We have tried other things like racquetball where we are more evenly matched.
So Dr. Asselmeier appears to have done a good job of getting the knee back together.
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