A New Year

Today I took "Christine" (my bike) out for the first time this season. I will need to post a story on how my bike got its name.

So anyways, I woke up this morning and decided that I would ride to physical therapy. The physical therapy is for a rotator cuff injury that I have. The therapist is just a few miles away and I figured I had extra time to get there. Afterwards as I was about to ride back home, I decided to ride for another 20 or so miles since there would be no one home waiting for me. It was good to get back on her as I cleared my mind and remembered what she sounded like when I cranked on her pedals and moved from gear to gear.

It was hot and the sun felt good on my body. As I continued to ride the sun beat down on the blackened pavement and the sweat started to bead on my head. I was glad that occasionally a section of my ride was tree covered. I caught up to another rider but he was going a different way then I wanted to go so I turned west towards a lake.

Its been almost a year since the last time I rode outdoors as my training has been exclusively indoors on a trainer. Outdoor training has its pluses and minuses. On the plus side, the scenery (today it was a ride around a lake North of where I live) is always changing. On the minus side, the traffic can be a hazard.

Today had another minus. I had forgotten the rule that if you feel good on the first half of the ride you’re going to feel bad on the second half. As I turned to go back home, I was faced with a stiff wind which made the second half of the ride more intense… at least the wind kept the sweating down.

I will have to remember that stretch of road, as it was quiet and peaceful for most of the ride.