Last ride of summer

So it's official. I'll be in surgery on Thursday. The rough edges of cartilage will be trimmed away and a bony protrusion on the ball of a hip joint will be ground away. It all sounded rather simple as the surgeon described it.

There is, he told me, an 80% chance of this procedure bringing relief, and next to no risk of leaving me worse off. I don't like to think of the one fifth chance that it will achieve nothing.

After getting back from the hospital I went out and rode, deliberately and carefully, knowing that recuperation from the surgery is advised as requiring six to twelve weeks. This would be my last ride of summer, and my last evening ride of the year.

We began late, on an evening already advanced with night awaiting in the wings - a quiet beautiful time in which to reflect as the light slipped away like water through fingers.

It seemed as if the Downlands were bidding me farewell. The geese passed by aloft on their way to a faraway place.

As evening gloom slipped across the land three deer passed slowly across the darkening meadow and wandered off past the crop heading for a woodland refuge.

Hares bounded away across the stubble fields, running with abandon. They seem more abundant than ever this year, springing a flamboyant farewell en-masse.

Then nature flung me a spectacular farwell sunset, bold and bright above the ghostly white chalk track. The beauty of it was enough to bring me to a halt, which Brena took advantage of to decimate vegetation within reach.

As the fleeing light receded to a vague soft monochrome, details becoming less distinct by the minute, an owl swooped past Brena and I. So, a creature of the night bade us farewell too. Or was that a welcome? For soon the long hours of darkness will come to dominate these hills.

The light slipped away and, as it faded to nothing, my summer riding was gone. Loading Brena into the trailer in darkness I remembered that it was exactly a year ago that I rode Doru for the last time. But soon enough there will be another ride with Brena, and then many more rides together.

Comments

[Shirley]

I pray that your surgery goes well and that you can ride free of pain on your next ride. Lovely, poignant post.

[White Horse Pilgrim]

Thank you, Shirley, prayers are welcome.