Spraining your ankle redefines your bike-rider relationship

Hello world!

It's been a while let's recap my 2024 so far (from a biking perspective). Back in January of this year, I came down full force on my right ankle (while playing pickleball no less) and garnered myself a grade-two sprain. That's the middle severity. Bummer. 4-6 weeks healing time.

Well, at least it was winter. It would be hard to bike anyway.

It's not impossible to bike in the NJ winter! Jugtown Mountain Preserve in Asbury, NJ, Jan. 2022

It was winter, but recovery was not so straightforward for me. I'm not sure, but I likely had some complications in my ankle. Come May, I was still experiencing abnormal swelling and pain. Whelp, it's not so bad, it'll be better soon, right?

While my health and wellness are on the up and up, I didn't go on a trail ride until LAST WEEK. An absolute eternity compared to the bike-obsessed Brendan of yesteryear.

I forgot how good it felt to be in the middle of the woods with only my mountain bike to keep me company. While I can tell my ankle still isn't as strong as before, it's more than serviceable on the mellower rides I'm doing right now.

My return is just in time too, my annual trip to the Kingdom Trails is coming soon just in time for my birthday. I'm excited like it was my first ride all over again (maybe my 5th ride, rides 1 to 4 were pretty scary).

A picture from last year's East Burke, VT trip. It puts the pasture in pastoral!

I'm not sure if I'll court the pickleball menace as much anymore after the injury and the return to mountain biking. The woods are much more invigorating and less dangerous than a hard court. All it took was a sports injury and drawn-out recovery time to realize that.

Onwards and upwards,

Brendan