Back in the saddle again

[fiddler3]

Today I rode my bike to work again, finally. The last time was in May, when I fell and wounded my knee and my confidence. The weather has cooled off a*tad*, so I tried again this morning, and am I beat tonight!

I go in to have my lipids checked and have my yearly physical at the end of next week, so I am trying to clean up my act, so to speak, so I can get the best results I can. I want to be able to say I am riding my bike again!

I just wish I could gt up and ride every morning. It is a little hairy, with all the cars...

fiddler3

[Burgess]

I just wish I could gt up and ride every morning. It is a little hairy, with all the cars...

You might ask at a bike shop for the kind of stand that allows you to set your bike's rear wheel into a roller. Then you can ride safely at home during high-traffic times and take it off the stand for weekends and holidays.

I have never owned one of these devices. They might cost as much as a new bike. I would be sure to ask how easy they are to set up and take down. Experienced, competitive bikers sometimes use them to stay in training during the worst winter months.

I am fortunate in living near a river. For weekdays, I have two paths I can choose that run along the river. There is very little cross traffic -- except from pedestrians, runners, skate boarders, and other bicyclists! On weekends and holidays, I like to bike through back roads and industrial parks. Very quiet.

[BillInInd]

I have 2 Recumbent Bicycles. One is a Tadpole trike which rides very low and what's called a Hi Racer recumbent with Dual 650C wheels. Even though I am much higher up on the Hiracer I feel safer on my low riding trike. On the Hi Racer cars will zoom by me and give me only inches to spare. On the Trike it seems like the cars give me lots more room and I'm able to keep track of traffic better because I'm not worried about keeping my balance. I do have lights that can be seen in the daylight and a slow moving triangle on my trike. Some people ride with flags to be more noticeable.

In early April I started riding this year and at that time I couldn't play nine holes of golf without hurting so bad that I had a hard time walking (arthritis). About a month ago I rode 65 miles on a Saturday and golfed 18 holes on Sunday all without any pain.

I believe that riding is just as good for you as the McDougall diet and together must be awesome. Monday I start my first day on the McDougall diet in an effort to get off of Meds. If it is as successful as riding my bikes have been then getting off these Meds should be no problem.

[fiddler3]

Good ideas. I think women have more fears about this stuff. There is a bike path that would take me most of the way to work outside of the traffic, but the ride would take me into some lonely areas, under some underpasses, etc. As a woman who rides alone, this frightens me.

I enjoyed the www.bicyclesafe.com site which someone posted a while back. I am feeling more confident, at least, that I am visible.

fiddler3