So, I didn’t have oral surgery this morning, because my periodontist went into the hospital this weekend.

I’d spent most of the last week getting mentally prepared to have my gums and jaw ratcheted on and spend a couple of days on crazy-strong painkillers. Growing up with orthodontia has me used to people doing all kinds of crazy stuff in my mouth*, but still, dealing with the crap I’ve been dealing with for the past year, I was stressing out about it, and had worked to get myself in a place where I was okay with things and ready to get it done.

So, when I was fifteen miles into a 30+ mile bike ride at High Bridge Trail State Park on Sunday, getting the call from his office looking to reschedule things two weeks down the calendar, it took some time to get my brain sorted.

Oh, High Bridge is really pretty cool; I did the east side of it on Sunday, and hit Sailor’s Creek Battlefield State Park as well on the trip (it’s really only four miles away from the trailhead I used), netting ten parks on my list and earning my next TrailQuest pin.

In any case, as I got the news that I wasn’t going under the mouth-knife this morning rather late yesterday, I just kept the time off since I put in all that work last week to clear the calendar anyway (I’m considering this week and mental health vacation), and took a little time for me, getting my first half-century ride on the Capital Trail for the year:

I’m a little sore now, and it wasn’t my best time, but I hit that milestone way earlier this year, and proved that I’m in okay shape for the Cap2Cap next month. Also, mentally, all those endorphins are ridiculously helpful.

Oh, and speaking of mental health, I want to point to Senator John Fetterman and how open and honest he’s been with regard to his recent hospitalization for severe depression. This is a wonderful thing; as a public figure, he’s doing a great service to normalizing mental health issues such as depression (which I struggle with, and try to talk about openly whenever the opportunity presents itself). Mental health issues, although improving in recent years, are still stigmatized in ways other health issues aren’t. I’m getting help. If you’re struggling, you should as well.

So, yeah, that’s the various and sundry for now. Have a great week while we all watch crazy history being made tomorrow.

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* – “That’s what she said….