Sunday, July 13, 2008

Non-Tour post

Lots more than the Tour has been happening lately, but the Tour posts have been eating up the little blogging time I can find.

So, as a little recap...

I am now off the crutches, out of the knee brace and out of the neck brace. The pin is coming out of my thumb on Monday. I am having an MRI on the knee on Wednesday, as well as starting hand physical therapy. My blood levels have been good with the Coumadin too. Basically... I'm making progress. I didn't get the chance today, but tomorrow I hope to finally go back to the gym and test my knee on a stationary trainer and see how much it can handle before I begin riding my trainer here at home. I can not begin to tell you how good it feels to get a little of my life back. I also have to thank all of you for your support and well wishes- it is no exaggeration to say that it has been a part of my recovery.

This afternoon, Masidaughter and I walked together to get lunch for the first time since the crash. I walked... without crutches or a knee brace. It was heavenly! It is amazing how great something so small can feel.


On this past Tuesday, she and I also went down to the velodrome and said thanks to MANY people who had been so fantastic when I crashed, and since then as well. It was hard, I admit, to keep from losing it. More than once I was told how frightened people were for me and how scared people had been by my crash. Even people in the stands watching the racing seemed to know who I was- "that's the guy who crashed really hard". I left a mark on the track too- bending a steel post and cracking a sheet of plywood. BUT... aside from a dent in the top tube from the handlebars and slight hop in the rear wheel, the bike looks straight and still rideable. WOO-HOO! I love that frameset, so I'm happy to be able to keep it around. One friend suggested I get a band-aid painted over the dent with the date of the crash (4/29) and I have to admit that I love that idea. Oh yeah... the Deda steel sprint bars are pretty bent on the right side too- they're a little wider and have a little "flare" to them now. Masidaughter was happy to be at the track and did not want to leave- she was getting lots of attention and praise for her bravery the night of the crash. She also found a few other children to play with, so she was on a cloud! All in all, it was a really great night. A few people I really wanted to see were not there, so I will be trying to get to the track this coming Tuesday so I can complete my thank you tour.

On Friday, minus some last little tweaks still to be done, we wrapped up the new fall catalog. I can honestly say that it is the best one we've done yet. I am very proud of the work that has gone into the catalog (outside of the copy I wrote- worst writer's block of my life). Pete Demos, Rick Ortiz and Wayne Doran did some incredible work to make the catalog happen. It's a great one... and I'm already fired up for the next one.

Earlier in the week, the VeloNews with my "At the Back" contribution came out. I can not tell you how proud I am to have something printed in VeloNews. I always dreamed as a rider that I would one day be on the cover of VeloNews, but life was cruel and I found out that being a pro was not going to happen. Later, as a writer and cycling enthusiast, I wanted to write for VeloNews. To get the chance to be a contributor is something else. If you haven't seen the mag, here's the David Brinton illustration;
That might just be my next tattoo!

Needless to say, though the Tour has been dominating the space here... there's been a lot more going on lately. It's good to be alive- that much I can tell you for sure.

Tim

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

hi tim

great to hear you are going great and to get some respite from tour news ;p

keep fighting the fight mate

chris

Kk said...

That is the very best news of all! Yay Tim! I'm sooooooo HAPPY for you!

Donna T. said...

Congrats on all fronts. Sounds like life is sooo good right now. You deserve it, my friend. Wooo-hooo!

TheNanny612 said...

I'm so glad to hear how you are healing. To be able to walk without all the other medical equipment you are use to wearing must have felt wonderful!! And, how terrific your daughter was there with you to experience that too. After all she was there when you crashed.... she should be there with you when you walk for the first time without the aid of medical equipment. I'm so, so happy for you, Tim. :)

Yokota Fritz said...

You're looking good, Tim! This last Friday night there was a pileup at Hellyer that sent a couple of Jr riders to the E.R. I don't think they were as badly injured as you were but it looked pretty scary.

You should hand out autographed prints of that illustration at Interbike this fall :-)

Anonymous said...

Tim,
"Isn't it a welcome sight to see children taking their well worn parents out for a walk! :-)
Gym pre-requesite, just make sure they permit you facilities entry even while giving fellow members the finger!
HARO update finished, road-trail revision.
Photos soon ...

Anonymous said...

Hi Tim
Nice to know that you are healing really well! You will feel super on the first bike ride, I promise (I had a pretty serious problem on my eye, and was unable to ride for almost a year. The first ride back lasted 15' and was the best of my life...). Anyway, when are you going to sell your bikes here in Brazil? I'm dying for a steel Masi!
Best wishes!

Anonymous said...

tim!

so stoked for you to see a lot of progress! great news about walking without the knee and neck brace....so glad that your spirits are high and you are doing much better...that makes me happy.
eric

Mark Ritz said...

Hi Tim,
SOunds like things are looking up. Keep up the recovery! Great to hear that you visited the track. I know how tough it will be to get back into racing again. Stay strong...

Keep up your analysis of the tour. I love your insights. Great VeloNews article too! I second the idea of autographed copies of the illustration!

Cheers,
Mark

Anonymous said...

Congrats! love the illustration. Please note that it is an apple laptop - I think that is a sign.

Anonymous said...

Hey man - congrats! I'm also a writer and it is also my dream to one day get something - anything - published in a mag like Velonews, or to write copy in the industry as I'm an advertising guy these days. I've been picking VeloNews since I was about 15 years old - what an honor to have a Brinton cartoon in your image.

One day you'll look back at this phase of your life with a smile, honestly. That's an experience that not a lot of people get - good on you.

Heal well, MasiGuy. You'll wind 'em again.

Kevin

ADIG said...

Hey Tim - Great Post.

I'm happy to hear you are recovering so well.

-- Angelo

Arron said...

good news. time with the family should only help the healing!! later.

Anonymous said...

Tim

Glad you made it to the track last week. Hopefully we'll see you tonight as well, its always a better night when your there.

Gotta get my Velonews, should be at the shop!