We do a poor job of managing pain in this country. The abuse of narcotics results in many pain patients being treated as drug seekers. My wife has a four level lumbar fusion and it is a monthly struggle to get effective pain management.

Continuing to make progress. I'm riding my bicycle on my wind trainer in the basement. I should be able to hit the road on it in a week or so. The pedaling feels great. Oddly, my only real concern is being able to clip in and out. That heel out twist, and the very slight hip rotation required, is still a little dicey.

I still can't drive a car. Lifting my right foot from the gas to the brake is still too difficult. But, well, I can get it up onto the foot peg on a motorcycle...

My wife had some errands to run and was going to be out for several hours. It was a sunny day. I have a severe case of cabin fever. Why not? Figured I could go for a short putt before she got home. So I hopped on the Honda and did just that.

Unfortunately, my wife - the retired nurse - beat me home. She wasn't nearly as excited as I was with my little accomplishment. But I'm making progress...

I don't use clip-ins, never have. They seem like a liability. In your case even larger. A compromise might be toe cages. In the city I do too much stop and go to be messing around with either.

I'm old enough to have grown up riding with those toe clip cages. Got really good at reaching down to flip the bail to get my foot out when coming to a stop. Got equally good at flipping the pedal around and stabbing my toe into the cage, then pulling on the strap to tighten it.

When riding my stationary bike today, I tried to simulate that reaching down movement, with my right foot up at 12:00. Surprisingly, I couldn't do it. So I tried it with my left foot. I couldn't do that either. It just puts a really painful stretch into my left hip flexors. They are by far the slowest to heal, for whatever reason. They are what are keeping me from driving as well.

A few more days on the stationary and I should have the confidence to hit the road. Hopefully weather doesn't move in and put a damper on that plan.