Most people think of Park City as a winter wonderland, and rightly so, but I have to say that Park City is also a pretty fantastic place to visit in the summer. Coming from a boarding junkie that’s saying a lot. You’ll find the Alpine Slides, Alpine Coaster, zip lines, mountain biking, and Olympic Park quite diverting plus the offseason offers the same great restaurants as chill time minus the outrageous waits. Although Jason and I were in Park City not long ago for my nerd golfing, some passes to the summer activities at the Park City Mountain Resort, a birthday present from Jason’s parents, brought us up again. (Thanks Mom and Dad!)
Jason and I are fans of fast. We slid down the mountain quicker than a kid in a sleeping bag.The condo we rented for the night looked a little outdated on the exterior but it had recently been remodeled and was quite stylish inside.
Our sweet tickets gave us unlimited access to the resort’s Alpine Slides and Alpine Coaster so we hit those slopes something fierce. But we didn’t want to just come up for a day of winding around the mountain, we wanted to unwind too. Hence, we got a room right at the resort in the Lodge at the Mountain Village. Our condo was very conveniently located and conveniently priced. Park City in the summer is cheap! All the more reason for you tightwads to visit this time of year.
Riding the Alpine Coaster as a pair was pretty uncomfortable but it was worth it. Our trip downhill was quick and crazy.
After an afternoon of loops and sunlight Jason and I wandered down Main Street and into Wahso, an Asian bistro, for a delicious dinner. Park City’s many tasty meal choices make me very happy and hungry. The rest of the night we lounged and read; we could do that at home but we don’t.
Jason ordered the Grilled Lamb Vindaloo with mint raita, coconut eggplant, and green lentil-cucumber salad at Wahso. It was tasty but I think I liked my Miso Black Cod better.We procured a private booth room at Wahso. Apparently these are impossible to get during the ski season. Hooray for the tourists going bye-bye!
We loved our great little weekend getaway. Park City is mellow during the summer. It’s not packed but it’s still pretty. You too can take advantage of the sunny days and elevation-enhanced brisk nights of Park City’s lolling season. Refreshing! As for us, one of these weekends we’ll actually stay at home but not quite yet.
Not too long ago my parents bought a canoe. They could be planning on being extras in The Very Last of the Mohicans but I’m pretty sure the purchase had more to do with their proximity to a navigable lake and their bunch of energetic grandkids.
The men took a manly journey in the canoe together wearing tiny life vests.
Jason and I took our maiden voyage on this worthy vessel during the Labor Day weekend. My brother Will was visiting from Idaho so he supplied the eager kids while we supplied most of the manpower. The majority of our nieces and nephews were enthusiastic sailors but Porter, who recently turned 13 and therefore suffers from teenagerness, did not want to row the boat. This made him an excellent candidate for teasing and involuntary labor. Jason and Will forced him to paddle solo on their return voyage across the water just because he didn’t want to. Complaining ensued and consequently more compulsory rowing. Few joys in life equal that of annoying a grumbling adolescent.
Unlike Porter, I’d classify canoeing as a relaxing activity even as the oarsman. And, incidentally, I’m ready for my call from Daniel Day-Lewis. Anytime he wants me to start paddling I’m set.
Ever since I rolled my bad ankle while playing laser tag at my own birthday party two months ago (Boohoo!) the wellbeing of my peroneal tendons has been uncertain. A couple of doctor visits and an MRI later I now have a few things figured out but the fate of my foot is still a looming question mark. Here are all the gory details.
My First Doctor’s Visit:
Six weeks after my little misstep my ankle was still having issues. A normal sprain usually heals in 2-4 weeks so 6 weeks of persistent troubles didn’t seem regular. My slow recovery and the many eerie similarities between my current situation and my previous tendon tear experience convinced me that it was time to get a doctor’s opinion. My sports medicine specialist, unfortunately, didn’t have any concrete answers for me. He said that the prior damage to my ankle would definitely lengthen my recuperation from a sprain; 3 months of mending wouldn’t be unusual. But he also told me that once a tendon has been torn retears are common. When a tendon has been weakened it’s an easy target for more problems. So? The doc concluded that I may or may not have torn my tendon again. Hmm…not exactly the non-answer I was looking for. He said I could wait it out for another month to see what happens or I could get an MRI and find out exactly what is going on. I chose the MRI and the path of information.
My MRI Results:
The machine used for this MRI, though not as friendly to those fidgety in tight places, produced a much clearer image than the open design one that magnetically photographed my ankle last time. The radiologist reported that my peroneus brevis suffered from advanced tendinosis and my peroneus longus was healed in intervals. Additionally, he noted that there was quite a bit of fluid surrounding my peroneus brevis. I had no idea what all of this meant.
My brace is a longtime frienemy. I hate that it’s become a necessary part of my life again.
My Second Doctor’s Visit:
I made another visit to my doctor after my MRI to decode the results and figure out my next course of action. My doc was great; he spent over half an hour looking at MRI pictures with me and explained everything I was seeing. Thanks to his helpful conversion of medical talk into layman’s terms I think I understand my MRI details. Allow me to interpret for you.
Doc Speak: The peroneus longus is healed in intervals.
English Translation: Your peroneus longus looks better than it did before you had surgery. Your last MRI showed fluid buildup around it and that is no longer there. Go longus!
Doc Speak: The peroneus brevis tendon shows signs of advanced tendinosis.
English Translation: Unlike tendinitis, which is an acute short-term tendon flare-up, tendinosis is a lasting problem involving the tendon’s structure and it takes considerably longer to heal. This particular case of tendinosis is a result of your recent ankle injury and, by the way, you have an associated partial tear in your tendon but it’s not completely ruptured.
Doc Speak: There is fluid retention around the peroneus brevis.
English Translation: Fluid isn’t good. Fluid means your body is hurt and can’t figure out how to heal itself.
Ugh! As my comprehensive translation indicates, my peroneus brevis, the tendon that I had surgery on 4 years ago due to it being torn almost to the point of rupturing, is once again torn. Of all the ridiculous things! Tendon, did I offend you in a previous life or what?
My Course of Action:
According to my newest MRI, the tear in my peroneus brevis this time is worse than its previous one and this tendon is in poorer condition now then it was before my surgery. I find this assessment hard to believe because my tendon was so messed up last time that it was almost beyond repair. However, since the MRI machine I used the first time didn’t give a very sharp image that is hopefully the main reason for this grim report. I’m crossing my fingers.
Another ankle surgery is now a real possibility for me. The recovery from my last one took forever and almost drove me into the funny farm so I’d like to avoid a repeat of that near-insanity if possible. Is there any hope?
My ankle might heal on its own. It will probably take a couple more months for it to get its act together, given its current state, but it could repair itself. The fact that it has slowly been improving over time, instead of plateauing, is a positive indication. If its progress ever levels off that could mean that my body has done all that it can on its own. So far I’m still making headway, thankfully. The fluid surrounding my tendon is a bit of a downer though; it’s a bad sign. It means my body is having a hard time coping. But, even with the fluid, my doctor was optimistic that avoiding surgery may be possible. It all depends on how my foot is doing in about two months.
Until then I have been instructed to massage my ankle meanly to increase blood flow to the area and do strengthening exercises with the elastic band my physical therapist gave me the last time I rode this pony.
I’m wishing for a tendon miracle. (My tendon doesn’t have a very good track record in the miracle department.) I have an appointment scheduled with my surgeon at the end of November but I’m hoping that I’ll get to cancel it. The last thing my questionable stability needs is another trip onto the operating table. Physical activity is one of the few things that stands between me and iffy sanity. Take that away and I’ve got some real cuckoo potential. Tendon, please don’t make me go down the lazy road to crazy again.
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