Reality Check

Mount Baker on a clear day

 A few days after my Squalicum Harbor ride I woke one morning with severe back pain. I'm not sure if it was from straining too hard on that steep uphill bit, or just a vertebra slipped out of place while I slept.

I couldn't even sit up in bed, I had to turn to my side and push myself up with my arms. Sitting down was the worst, it was all right standing up, walking around or lying flat on the floor, until I started to get stiff from immobility. Driving my car hurt when I lifted my foot between the gas and brake, and I didn't even try to get on my bike, though I did get out for a five-mile walk. I tried a cold pack at first, then found that a heating pad and ibuprofen worked better.

After three or four days of hobbling around, I Googled "low back pain" and read the ever-respectable and trustworthy Mayo Clinic website. They pretty much said "Yeah, that happens. You should probably see your doctor if pain persists for three weeks."

Ghost bike & me

Three weeks! I'd been taking 3-4 hour naps in the day time in addition to at least eight hours sleep at night, just because doing anything else hurt, and seemed to risk causing a sudden, worse injury. Normally I'm pretty stoical and patient about pain, but I couldn't have taken it for three weeks.

Fortunately the heat, rest and ibuprofen seemed to help. I started doing some very gentle, easy core exercises, similar to Kegel exercises, that involve sitting or lying down and tensing internal abdominal muscles, low back, hip and butt muscles. Plus just paying attention to my posture, straightening up my spine.

Luckily we had a spell of stormy weather so I had an additional excuse not to ride in the rain. After ten days or so the weather cleared up and yesterday I was able to get out for a ride. My hip sockets clunked when I threw my leg over the saddle, but after that I was fine. I rode an easy twelve miles on the flat lands out around the Lummi casino.

A few years ago an older woman - actually probably about my age - was killed crossing Slater Road on a bike. There is a memorial to her at the intersection with Ferndale Road.

And I'm back on wheels. But I guess October is the season to slow down and take it a bit easy.