- September 17, 2025 It was about a year ago that I started to feel that my days of cycling consecutive 100 mile days were coming to a close as my knees, that have been at issue for most of my life, were starting to wave the white flag of surrender. Constant inflammation, difficulty going up or down stairs, etc. At 54, I felt this was too soon and I needed the ability to put down more miles in the saddle. To relieve inflammation and restore mobility I underwent a double knee synovectomy. Exactly six months after surgery, I put my old knees to the test. I completed a challenging six day, 600-mile, bicycle ride along the Mississippi River from Eau Claire, WI to St. Louis, MO. Day after day, my knees carried me through long miles, never-ending climbs and headwinds without any restriction or pain.
Just one week later, I lined up at the start of the 42-mile Chequamegon Mountain Bike Race in northwestern Wisconsin. It’s a grueling race with a terrain of constant hills. Even thought my body was exhausted by the end, again, my knees felt strong and reliable the entire way.
What was looking like the sunsetting of active exercise has now turned into a feeling of achievement thanks to Dr. Cole and his team. I’m sure that somewhere down the road my old knees are going to require more attention. One thing’s for certain - I know where I’ll go for that.
