Getting Back in Shape

I ran yesterday for the first time since my bike accident on September 22. It was painful. Not so much for my collar bone as for my legs and lungs! Based on my time -- 33 minutes to run 3.1 miles -- taking a seven-week hiatus was deterimental to my health! I'm out of shape...but I'm back in training.

For the time being I have to be content with running. I went in for my follow-up appointment with the orthopedic surgeon last Friday and he said my collar bone appears to be healing, but X-rays at this stage aren't able to really see the "new" bone. He pushed on it and said it is moving as one, which tells him it is healing, but he doesn't want me to get on a bike for at least another six weeks after he sees me again and X-rays confirm the bone has healed.

But bike riding is really a moot point right now. I don't have a bike to ride. The dented aluminum frame of my trusty Cannondale Road Warrior has been deemed "unsafe at any speed." The Black Pearl, as some of my cyclist friends dubbed it, is out of commission. That bike has taken me many places -- seven MS150s, three Ride the Rockies, and one four-day, 400-mile trip across Missouri...more than 10,000 miles in all. It has been a great companion, never interrupting me during the hundreds of hours of think time on all those rides (except for an occasional flat tire or minor adjustment). It was my first road bike and I will always remember it (you never forget your first).

I have started looking at new bikes but am not anxious to part with the $2,000-$3,000 it will take to replace it. I was holding out some hope that the car driver's insurance company would reimburse me for the damage to my bike, but it looks like I'm going to have to fight them for it. But that's a long story for another day and I'm so frustrated with her insurance company and Officer Friendly of the Castle Rock Police Department right now that I can't talk about it without getting angry. Suffice it to say that I have retained legal counsel to represent me -- a bike riding lawyer who is passionate about cycling and protecting the rights of cyclists in Colorado.

Stay tuned for more on the unfolding saga of "Whose Fault is it Anyway?"

Daren

Life is Good, Part II

OK, so the Chiefs lost to Denver. It's not the end of the world. Life is still goood. The brisket turned out awesome...probably my best ever. And the Donkey's fans I invited over were not unreasonably obnoxious. I think most of them realize that beating the Chiefs doesn't make Denver a good team. It just makes them a little less bad than the Chiefs, who have no quarterback, no offensive line, and an injured star running back (Larry Johnson). It's good to see Priest Holmes back in the lineup but no running back is going to fare well behind the blocking of KC's inept offensive line.

So, back to the brisket. I've been trying to perfect brisket for several years now and I think I came very close this time. Question is, can I recreate it? My marinade recipe changes every time I smoke a brisket. It starts with Dale's Steak Seasoning -- the same soy-based marinade I use on steaks. But from there I pretty much just empty all the half empty bottles of whatever sauce I have in the fridge or cupboard. This time I included half a bottle of The Boulder Hot Sauce Company's Harry's Habanero sauce and a bottle of Holen One Farms marinade from Nebraska (given to me by my friends at the Nebraska Beef Council). The final touch was about a third of a packet of Char Crust Roasted Garlic Peppercorn dry rub.

I started marinating the brisket Saturday morning and let it soak up all those good flavors for 12 hours before putting it on the smoker Saturday night around 8:00 p.m. I took it off the smoker right around kick-off (11:00 a.m.) -- 13 hours later! Then I wrapped it in foil and let it rest until half time when the devouring began. After tasting the first slice I knew I had done good. The dozen or so guests seemed to agree. It was gone within about 15 minutes.

Stinkin' Donkey's fans invaded my home, sat on my couch, watched the game on my Samsung 42" plasma TV with six-speaker surround sound home theatre and ate all my brisket!

Regardless, I was eating beef, drinking beer and watching football with friends. Life is still good.

Daren

Life is Good

It's Sunday, November 11 at 12:11 a.m. and life is good.

I had my six-week follow-up appointment with the orthopedic surgeon on Friday and it appears that my collar bone is healing nicely. I can start running again but not riding yet. But that's a moot point because I don't have a bike to ride. More on that situation later...

The Kansas Jayhawks football team beat Oklahoma State 43-28 tonight to move to 10-0 -- on the same day THE top-ranked Ohio State University football team lost. KU could be ranked #1 this week...in football. Unheard of.

Tomorrow the Kansas City Chiefs host the Denver Broncos in a matchup of mediocre teams who could make the playoffs by winning the mediocre AFC West this year. As a Chiefs fan living in Denver, this is a big game. Bragging rights hang in the balance. And I've gone so far as to host a watch party and invite several Donkey's fans (as well as some fellow Chiefs supporters and neutral parties who will pull for the Chiefs after they taste the slow-smoked beef brisket, pulled pork and Colorado Sausage Company brats I am serving up!).

Time to check on the brisket. Life is good.

Daren