I just got back from my orthopedic doctor. He agreed that arthroscopic surgery on my knee is the best option of the three. (The other two options: wait until after my trip, or get the knee replaced now.) The surgery is scheduled for July 13th. With one week to recover enough until I can do the preparation work, and two weeks preparing and packing, that puts me on the road on August 3rd at the earliest. That's what I am going to shoot for. If the surgery turns out to be insufficient to cure the worst of my knee problem, that's a risk I will have to take. Of course, as with every single trip I have taken, anything else can happen to delay the trip, but that's the name of the game.
ED
