(As is my normal practice on Cycleblaze, I am composing this journal after the fact. The entries are mostly taken from my blog, Rootchopper.com.)

There are good ways to prepare for a spring bicycle tour but having carpal tunnel surgery is probably not one of them. On February 3, I had endoscopic surgery on my right (dominant) hand. The doctor told me that if my recovery is normal, I should be riding a bike in about two weeks.

As it turns out, I have a recumbent bicycle that puts no pressure on my hand. Once the surgical bandage came off, I rode my recumbent on a resistance trainer in the basement for a couple of weeks. After that. I transitioned to riding outdoors on my conventional touring bike, a 1991 Specialized Sequoia, that I call The Mule.

The surgical scar was nearly healed but I felt some pain when putting pressure on my hand. As long as I kept a light hold on the handlebars I could ride in reasonable comfort. Over time, the pain gradually diminished. 

My healing matched almost to the day my doctor's timetable for recovery. After checking out my progress after a couple of weeks, he gave me the green light to do a bike tour in early April. (I bought travel insurance just in case.)

Last summer's tour was a bit of a disaster. I had intended to ride from DC to southwestern Missouri mostly along the eastern third of the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail.  As I described in this journal, after a four-day false start, I made it as far as Kentucky coal country before the mountainous terrain and nasty dogs convinced me to quit. 

At the age of 69, I wondered if I still had it in me to do loaded touring. Seeking an easy way out, I decided try an assisted tour during which my gear would be transported for me, much as was the case with my first long ride, Bike Virginia in 1991. 

I signed up for an Adventure Cycling Association van-assisted tour of the Natchez Trace in mid-April.