The Road To Recovery

Recovery after an injury is never a fun process to endure. It's frustrating, draining, and always seems to take longer than predicted. For me, the injury I sustained in the Waddington Range will not be a rapid recovery. I don't make this statement pessimistically, I make it based on the fact that it is exactly what my physical therapist told and proved to me yesterday.

Following a discussion about how we needed to turn off the muscles that have been locked since July 7th, I laid on the ground and let out the grunts of an Olympic Clean Jerk contender while trying to perform a simple roll from one side of my body to the other. As the physical therapist smiled down, it donned on me that I have a long road ahead. Fortunately, that road is already trending upwards and having the ability to exercise again is something for which I am incredibly grateful.

At the moment I've been cleared to walk, hike (without weight), swim, run (in a pool), and road bike. By far the most comfortable of these is road biking. It allows my spine to sit in a position opposite my injury. The relief this provides is unbelievable and as such, I've been spending a lot of time aboard my Cannondale. With each ride my body feels better and I become more and more excited about cycling in general. This past weekend only affirmed my building exuberance.

On Friday afternoon, Caitlin's brother, Jack, and I threw our stuff into the truck and headed for the Methow Valley. If you're unfamiliar, it's an area just east of the North Cascade Mountain Range. Sitting in a rain shadow, its weather is much more arid than coastal Washington. If you've ever wondered where Washington Apples come from, it's the Methow. I can't even begin to imagine how many orchards exist in the area. The drive is spectacular and late that evening we met up with one of Jack's friends and were fortunate enough to stay on an absolutely gorgeous piece of property his family owns on the bank of the Methow River.

We spent our time near the communities of Twisp, Winthrop, and Mazama. All three are quite small and each is unique in its own right. Twisp is at the confluence of two rivers and is host to a number of amazing shops and restaurants. Winthrop is western themed and as such the entire town is architecturally western. And Mazama, population 230, is a town you could literally blink and miss. My recommendation if you're ever in the area... Don't blink.


A hand painted map detailing the area decorates a downtown Winthrop establishment.

Saturday morning brought blue skies. After a quick breakfast, we set out from Mazama for Washington Pass, a 20-mile climb with 3,500 feet of elevation gain. The ride up was amazing. Traffic was light and drivers were generally courteous. The ride down? The ride down took a quarter of the time it took to climb to the top. You do the math on the how-amazing-was-that-fun-o-meter.


Jack and I atop the pass.

It feels great to be exercising regularly again. And, while my recovery may be a slow one, it could have been much worse and at least I can recover doing the things I love.

For anyone reading this, go outside. Right now. Leave whatever device you're reading this on, walk outside, and take a deep breath. You won't regret it.

Riley