TKR March 8/22 RTKR Excited for the next step!

[Axx72]

Have not updated my recovery thread in a while as I have been very busy with work, a side business, and cycling. So here is a bit of news.

A year and a half in the planning brings me to May 28, 2024 and the beginning of my bike packing trip from Kamloops to Calgary. It will incorporate the BC epic race which is an off-road bike race running from Merritt to Fernie. The extra extra pain and suffering my friend and I have decided to undertake, riding from Kamloops to Merritt before and then at the end of the BC Epic, from Fernie to Calgary is completely of our own volition for a grand tour of 1388 km, over the course of 10 to 12 days.

As crazy as it sounds, finishing or not, this represents the culmination of all my mental and physical efforts during my recovery journey to strive for the unreachable and at the same time, hopefully be an encouragement to others.

I am eight days out from the start of this trip and I can barely contain my excitement.

Lots more small steps to take

 

[sistersinhim]

Wow! You two are amazing. Keep us updated on how it's going. It is wonderful to hear how great you are doing after your TKR!

 

[mendogal]

Dude! You rock!

 

[2chains]

What a great update!

 

[EalingGran]

Great post- Good luck!

 

[Layla]

Excited for you, Axx!
Wishing you safe travels! Keep the rubber side down.
@Axx72

 

[Axx72]

Day 1 complete. Wow, what a big boy ride! 2000m+ of elevation gain. Nicola Valley is so beautiful!

Can’t say I did not feel it in my knee this AM. Relatively minor though so…..onward to the next step.

Now to start the BC Epic 1000.

 

[Layla]

GO Axx! You know we're all cheering for you. Thanks for checking in.
You're an inspiration. Stay safe and enjoy!
@Axx72

 

[Axx72]

Day 2 BC Epic1000: Merritt to Link Lake. What a phenomenal experience so far. Every Epic minute of it. Goin Bonesmart strong!!! Step completed!

 

[EalingGran]

Wow! That's amazing.

 

[Axx72]

Day 2 BC Epic1000: Merritt to Link Lake. What a phenomenal experience so far. Every Epic minute of it.

 

[Axx72]

Day 3: BC Epic, Link Lake to Chute Lake. 112.2km. Penticton Rocks!!

 

[Axx72]

Day 4: BC Epic1000, Chute Lake to Kettle Valley by way of Myra Canyon! Spectacular!!!

 

[Layla]

Safe travels! Thanks for keep us in the loop.
@Axx72

 

[Axx72]

Missed a few days but Day 8: BC Epic1000 Gray Pass Campground to Cranbrook for 113km was a mental biggie for me. The feeling of achievement after climbing to the top of Gray Pass! I felt pretty emotional. Can’t say I really knew what to expect on this one. Arguably, a 17km, 3 hour climb with 1587 meters of ascent, coupled with a 60lb bike, goes in the record books as one of the longest I’ve done and first sure the biggest after a right total knee replacement. More steps to take or rather circles to make.

 

[Layla]

Aww, love this for you, Axx! Lookin good...and happy.
Backdrop, uh, meh. Just kidding, it's beautiful!
Safe travels!
@Axx

 

[benne68]

a 17km, 3 hour climb with 1587 meters of ascent, coupled with a 60lb bike, goes in the record books as one of the longest I’ve done and first sure the biggest after a right total knee replacement.

Wow! I'm getting tired just reading this.

Amazing!

 

[mendogal]

Amazing!!!!

 

[Axx72]

Back to Calgary a few days sooner than expected. It is not with without the support and love of my family that I was able to experience such a wonderful adventure. As I sat in my little tent site yesterday, thinking about the last 75 or some odd kilometres to my house in Calgary, it is with a tear in my eye that I recount this absolutely amazingly epic experience. Two years in the planning, this cyclist’s tales came complete with bugs, dirt, saddle sores, scratches, blood blisters and sunburnt calves. The eight snakes, three moose, one turkey, 25 deer, four coyotes three elk, one mountain goat, the mouse that ate my trail mix and kept Ross up for hours in Tobomory hut, not forgetting the bear and beaver that scared the **** out of us while camping. All of them, i’m sure, really could have cared less as we passed through their world. I took a little piece of each destination with me and became more complete as I rode along.

Sometimes we forget who we are, until we take some time allow ourselves to remember why we are who we are.

Sensational steps to take and pedal circles to make. The future is right around the corner. You just have to be willing to explore a little.

 

[sistersinhim]

You are AMAZING! It was thrilling just to read about your journey. I can't imagine experiencing it.