This post was planned to be a triumphal celebration of another great achievement on the bike. Something of a yearly tradition since 2016. It is not. All the plans were in place, I felt strong, better than for a long time and well prepared for all that the Alps were going to throw at me. Then my own body threw something at me. It was not what I thought it would be. A Painful Surprise When the pain hit my right foot, we feared the worst. Stabbing pain around the big toe. Standing up and walking anywhere was….. unpleasant. A call to the casualty department of the local hospital did…