Back on the saddle again

Since summer seems to have arrived with a vengeance, with temperatures over 80-85 the last couple of days, I have returned to the streets of Fairmont on my bicycle. Prior to yesterday, I'd only gone out a couple of times for very short rides earlier this spring. And I've been riding off-and-on on my trainer in my living room some this winter/spring. This weekend, I finally felt it was warm enough and the winds had died down enough for me to do some serious riding, for the first time since my arm-breaking accident last August. I returned to my regular route, which I had established last summer or the summer before. My basic route is about six miles, with a two-mile extension on both the north and south ends that I can add or avoid, depending on how I feel. Friday night and Saturday afternoon I went out and did about eight miles each day. I timed myself today, and eight miles took me about forty minutes, so I'm averaging about twelve miles per hour for my ride, which ain't too bad. It felt pretty good. I was a little nervous, especially coming down one hill where I pick up some pretty good speed for a short distance -- but that section has always been that way for me, and it was a long way from where I had my actual accident -- which was on a straight and flat strip. On the positive safety side, I've been wearing my new bike helmet, which I got from Bro last Christmas, for the first time(s).