The realization has hit that this back injury is going to be around for a while. I took 8 days off the bike last week to let it heal up, but it’s still sore. The broken rib has stitched back together, but I still can’t sleep on my side. The spine is still a bit sore to the touch, and I can feel it when I bend over or stretch. Nevertheless, I started riding again yesterday and it feels OK. A bit of climbing in the early morning and the local TT last night after work. After my embarrassing results at Syracuse (which I blame on thee back) I’m hoping for some redemption at Balloon Fest. That will be the first race with a teammate all year.