For the first time in too many years to remember (or think about) I got my bicycle out and rode more than just around the block. The last time I seriously rode a bike was probably in the early 1990s, call it 18 years ago. I flirted with the idea briefly in the Autumn of 2005 but was so far out of shape then that riding was painfully hard.
Since then I lost 57 pounds and regained about 15. From a low of 193 I am now hovering around the 207 ~ 208 mark. Too much. Watching what I eat isn’t enough. Sibylle and I are in the process of joining a local health club and we have been looking at bicycles so we can ride around our neighborhood. With warmer days ahead and Sibylle’s teaching schedule which leave me a “free” hour a couple days a week, I am hoping to ride my bicycle more this year, perhaps even commuting to work on a regular basis. Every calorie burned is that much less weight hanging around my middle. The 50 pounds I lost before was largely assisted by a summer of kendo in the park. Working out in 100ยบ temperatures twice a week burned through lots and lots of calories.
At the risk of jinxing all of this good intention, below is a map of the first 4.5 mile ride of the season for me. At a blistering 10.8 mph.