Ahhh, Utaaahhhhh

Today we made our traditional trek to Utah for Christmas. Well, actually it started yesterday, when we left the 'Couve at about 1:30 p.m.. It was and uneventful trip to Boise, where we stayed the night. I was grateful for that since we have had some pretty epic trips in horrible weather driving to/from Utah. I did, however, procure two new rock chips in my windshield because in Oregon they put pebbles on icy roads instead of sand and evidently some city slicker in a Mercedes SUV last night couldn't figure out that you don't drive in the gravel that is piled up on the side of the road. No worries though, I will have them fixed and it will be good as new. I got a rock chip the first week I had my truck when it was brand new 4 years ago, got it fixed, and have not had a problem yet.

The scariest part of our trip was when we arrived in the Salt Lake valley. People in Utah drive fast. If you have never been in I-15, it's enormously wide and well lit, like a race track, which is what most people think it is. The speed limit is 65 mph, but I was going 75 mph and still getting passed by people, a lot of people!!!! It's just so different than what I am used to in Portland. In fact, I can't even think of anywere near Portland/'Couve where I could go 75 mph at any time on any given day. It's hard to go anywhere fast in Portland because of traffic which is why I commute on my bike so much.

The other great thing about Utah is that you can stand anywhere and spit in any direction and chances are you are going to hit a Mormon church. Bryan and I are devout Mormons, but we still find it so funny to be in the bubble of Provo again. Chances are by the time we leave we will be more than happy to escape being immersed in Mormondom. We love it here, but sometimes it's just too much.

Bryan and I are excited to ski. Hopefully we will get some good pics in the Utah pow. I am sure I will have some good face plants on the tele's, maybe I can get one of those on film.

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas.

Knee Problems-Take 2

Okay, this week I had and MRI on my right knee because I was still have some swelling and a wierd popping sound that occurs when I extend my leg fully. I figured that since it has been two years since my ski accident where I injured my knee I better get it checked out. Let me preface the MRI results with the fact that although my knee swells and pops and occasionally hurts after I ski, it has been fully functional on it. I have bike raced, skied, climbed, gone on rescues on Mt. Hood and it has held up fine. So, the doc's office called Friday before we left for Utah and gave me my results. I have a partial ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) tear and a completely torn LCL (Lateral Collateral Ligament). At this point I don't know the extent of the damage to the ACL (evidently it got torn when it ripped a chunk of bone off of my tibia in my tele skiing accident) or where the LCL is torn. I don't even know when the LCL got torn, if I did it in my ski accident or if I have somehow torn it since them. Am I that dumb? I would like to think I would know if I tore up my knee again. Anyway, it explains the swelling and popping and the pain in the region where the LCL attaches to my tibia. I meet with the doc on Jan. 11 and he will discuss the options with me. At this point I know I am fully functional on it and so any surgery NEEDS to be scheduled between bike racing and skiing. I am thinking I can sandwich a surgery between the end of the bike racing season this August and ski season in Dec./Jan.. Hopefully make a full recovery so I can ski next year. Gotta have priorities right?

This is really not the news I had hoped for. I was really hoping that it was something that could be fixed with very minor surgery, not ligament repair. Oh well, that is life. I am still going to train and race, and most definitely ski in Utah. Hopefully the doc will have some good news like "I'm sorry, we mixed your MRI up with someone else really don't have such a crappy knee." With my luck, that won't happen. I will post and update after my appointment. I am hoping to get some of the MRI pics as well and will post those as well.