Exploratory Surgery

I know people that have had exploratory surgery.  Personally, I'm not sure if I can think of anything more horrifying.  Even with all the progress of modern medicine, the concept of a doctor telling me "hey, I'm not sure what's wrong with you, so I'm just gonna cut ya open and fish around until I figure it out... "  No thanks.

And yet... I have tragic news.  I have received word that my beloved Greenzo will be having exploratory surgery.  For those of you not "in the know"... Greenzo is my half-joking-but-caught-on name for my bicycle.  This is a photo from the first day of RAGBRAI... you can probably tell from the photo the inspiration for the name:



and here we are at the Field of Dreams, almost all the way across Iowa...



don't worry... I was having a lot more fun that it seems... I'm just trying not to cry in the picture.   "Dad... wanna have a catch?"

Anyway, I love my bike.  And while that, in one sense, is a silly sentimentality... there is a certain nostalgic emotional connection between a boy and his bike.  When you get your first bike, it opens a whole new world of possibilities.  It is, in a very real way, freedom.  (which I've also been told is apparently "not free")

I recently read this article about the liberty that a bicycle provides... it's not incredibly well written, but hey... neither is this blog.  Clearly you're standards aren't too high.  Check it out.  It's a professional cyclist discussing how owning a bike changed his childhood.  Quote I like:

The ride is still about the adventure, the camaraderie and the sense of accomplishment. Whether it’s a trip to the end of the block, or across the Alps, the sensation is the same

My big trip with Greenzo is somewhere in between "end of the block" and "across the Alps"... it was a ride across Iowa called RAGBRAI (see link above).  I ended up cycling over 530 miles in a week across what is now one of my favorite states.  Yeah, that's right... I just said that Iowa is one of my favorite states.  Go ahead and let that marinate.  But seriously, it was an outstanding experience that I'll never forget.  Also, not our only adventure together.  I rode about 2500 miles in 2010... that's a lot of time in the saddle.  I have rich deep memories, a lot of time alone with my thoughts, and a lot of books on tape... and yes, an irrationally emotion connection to an bicycle.  But here's where it gets nostalgic...

My bike is sick.  There are some small cracks in the head tube.  I've been VERY careful with it (at this point, it's undoubtedly nicer than my car)... but the cracks developed, and I've contacted Cannondale.  I guess I assumed the response would be "Oh wow, hey, sorry about that, the bike is less than a year old and still fully warrantied against frame defects... so let's get you a replacement ASAP".  If I could drop some twit-speak: #assumptionfail



Ironically... or perhaps fittingly, the cracks are all over the Cannondale logo.

Cannondale has informed me that the bicycle is unsafe to ride (carbon fiber can fail rather catastrophically mid-ride... the results of which I'm told are highly unpleasant) and I will need to send it back to them.  Upon receipt they will cut it in half to inspect the carbon overlay in an effort to determine if it was an manufacturing default.  Or to put it more transparently "it's probably not our fault, but we'll pretend to double check in case you ask later."

I think the situation is more poignant and tragic because it's not going to a new owner or something... it's just going to be torn to shreds to "inspect the carbon overlay", and subsequently thrown into some scrap heap.  It's not even really exploratory surgery as much as an autopsy.  And aside from the tinge of nostalgia... there is the acute pain of having to pay for a new replacement frame... a very real possibility... and not a pleasant one considering what this frame cost less than 12 months ago.  Hopefully someone at Cannondale takes some responsibility and is able to replace the frame at no additional cost.

I hope I hope I hope they make it right.  Because I really can't wait to start riding again.  Right now there is no where I would rather be than on an sunny empty country road... churning away those gears... taking in the sights, sounds, smells around me... sweet sweet freedom.  I miss my bike.

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Rest day today.  Gotta save up knees for skiing, plus no time to work out with YL stuff tonight, and packing/getting ready the rest of the night.  Distance: 0

Food was not great today.  Oatmeal for breakfast, soup for lunch (delish, still), but Kel had made a (frozen) pizza when I got home so I had a small portion of that (not too much because I know it's unhealthy, but wanted to have some so it doesn't go to waste... cheapness and fitness... battling again).  I will be going to bed hungry, and a little guilty.  Food: C+

Magic number: 233.6 lbs still right there... we're a couple of days from me chopping off a couple fingers just to see a drop.  I mean, still in the 233's... c'mon!