I’ve gotten a double dose, you might say; and it isn’t pretty like this double rainbow. I have arthritis: both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis! I got some OA in my knees many years ago; and they used to crackle like crazy. Now they do it far less; and maybe all the cycling helped!

The RA was diagnosed only a few months ago; but that doesn’t mean I didn’t have it much sooner.  Maybe what I thought was “tendonitis” was actually RA! I’m not sure the bone spur in my hand is a result of arthritis; but I suspect I may need surgery for it. That won’t be fun; it will probably mean several days off the bike; and that, in turn, will mean more difficulty in reaching the year’s mileage goal.

I’ve also got a double dose of bicycles: the hybrid and the road bike; and that’s far more pleasant that having two types of arthritis! The hybrid is my “work pony”; and the road bike is the “fancy trotter”.

The hybrid gets me to and from work; and helps me bring home the groceries. It’s also there if the road bike is out of service for a while; so I don’t have to miss riding altogether! I can hardly believe that bike is ten years old already; and I hope it lasts many more years.

The road bike is my “gym membership”; and it’s how I get in most of my miles. I ride for the heck of it; and entering races has never been on my bucket list.