Mobile again

The part has come in and my bike is back together and rolling along. Its amazing to me how much I missed riding when I didn’t have a working bike. I was without 2 wheeled transport for a total of 16 days. I had worried that I would be really starting to lose what fitness I had previously built up on the bike, but I’m happy to say that doesn’t appear to be the case. I rode 10 miles this morning in 48:06. That’s an average of 12.5 mph which is right where I was over 2 weeks ago. The great thing is I was able to increase my daily distance from 8 miles to the 10 miles as well.

When I got home I got Michele and we rode another mile together. This is only her 4th mile in many years but she is out there doing it! I am so proud of her for getting up extra early and going for a ride with me.

I’m starting to think that I might be becoming a cyclist as not only do I enjoy riding, but also reading about riding. I follow other blogs about riding like the Fat Cyclist and Cynz Adventures. Some day I hope to be completing rides like they do. Cyn just got back from a relay ride from Las Vegas to Huntington Beach! Amazing and awesome! When I grow up I want to be able to do that too.

The other thing about riding is that I love it just for itself and not just as a means to exercise and get healthy. It reminds me of back in my Boy Scout days when I would go on our annual canoe trips. You could feel a sense of accomplishment when you put your paddle in the water and pulled it back to make yourself go forward. I feel that same thing when I’m cranking on my bike – the direct benefit of my action. Its what makes me want to keep doing it because I can see that it gives an immediate return. Sure you get a return when you walk, but its just not the same feeling as riding.

I missed the wind in my hair, but now I’ve got it back and life is good!