After years of planning and saving, this summer was the year to take
my dream ride, or so I thought. It was to take me around Lakes Huron
and Erie with a side trip to White Fish Point. I live on the shore
of Erie so I was able to leave from the house. Thirteen to fourteen
hundred miles and a month off of work, what could be better.

I started riding in May along the lake shore as usual where it's flat
to build up the mussels' from being off the bike in the winter. Had
the usual aches and pains with some extra pain in my left knee. This
has bothered me before so I wasn't too concerned at first. But after
a while it wasn't getting better like years past, it got worse.

So after getting pissed off, moping around, I finally went to the
doctor. Long story short, x-ray, MRI, waiting to see the Orthopedic
to see what's next. MRI showed a Grade 3 Patellofeoral
Chondromalacia (I couldn't pronounce it either). In a nut shell it's
the degeneration of the cartilage under the knee cap where it
articulates with the end of the Femur.

At this point I would be glad to just rebuild my bike if I could ride
pain free. I guess what I'm saying is what ever it costs to get your
bike in shape to ride is cheap, if you don't have a healthy motor it
gets expensive and depressing.

Keep on pedaling,
Bill
96 Vanguard
99 Duplex