catching up/reintroduction

[kenyonchris]

Hi you all...
I thought I might catch up...it has been about six months since I last posted...I am sort of crawling out of the underbrush here. I have lurked here for over a year, posted on occasion, but at the end of last summer my personal life got in the way of everything else. My biking partner and husband decided that marriage was for the birds and that was that (literally). Rebuilding my life on my own...including my biking life on my own...has been one step at a time. I wasn't sure I was going to keep it up. He introduced me to it, and it has been something that I did with him...when I did it on my own, it was what we talked about. I moved, brushed myself off, and found myself back on my road bike, pedaling along on my own. I did the 74 mile hideous Turkey Roll in terrible conditions back in November on my own. The wind and hills combined with the cold were so bad that it took me 6.5 hours...almost two hours more than it should have for me. I made a cycling friend...we were the only two still pedaling (everyone else either finished with the badass guys or gave up), and the two of us decided we would rather die than quit, so we pedaled on...alone. I didn't get her name!
Now that the weather is keeping me off my road bike, I am getting out on my mountain bike with some of the officers from my department (I am a police officer). In fact, I just ordered a new Specialized FSX. I am hoping to go to bike school so that I can ride on patrol this spring (which will mean yet another bike for the stable). It is hard to get a good biking day between night shifts, so I am spinning if I can't get out.
So I am catching up on my teamestrogen reading, keeping motivated, and pedaling on. This is a great forum and part of the way I keep focused and start to make biking MINE, not OURS.

[Biciclista]

Hey Chris, welcome back.
bicycle police have AWESOME LEGS! and they are the fittest police officers that we have in OUR city, that's for sure. I hope you can do it.

[jaydee]

Welcome back! The thing I love about cycling is that when you are riding, all the problems of the world slip to the back of your mind while you concentrate on the road. And the support from the team here when you are off your bicycle is also amazing. So enjoy!

[bouncybouncy]

Great comeback story!!!!

Good luck on the bike cop thing...I always envy those cops (saw one zooming through the airport the other day) they always look so satisfied with their jobs!!!

pedal on.....

[uforgot]

Nice to hear back from you! Cycling has brought a lot of us back from tough times. When you get your new bike we want pics, and best of luck getting the cycling patrol! We're pulling for you.

[tulip]

Welcome back and thanks for sharing your story. It's never easy to rebuild, but cycling helps tremendously (as does a dog, I've found out). I think being a bike cop would be the best kind of cop to be--good luck with moving in that direction!

[sbctwin]

Welcome back. You are on the right track. You will experience some stumbling once in a while, but you are on the right track. Keep up the cycling. For me, it was what helped me through my divorce many years ago (I call it my 'previous life')...

[Running Mommy]

Great story! Welcome back. And welcome back to your life...
Stick around this time, 'kay??
Just reading that story about the turkey ride tells me you can bring alot to this forum.

[Aggie_Ama]

Welcome back! Way to take your life and make it your own. You know I have never seen a woman bike cop (I am sure they are out there), how cool would that be? I am envious of the Bike Cops at A&M. Beautiful campus and they get to pedal around chit chatting with students. I am sure the do more but really looks like an alright gig.

[derailed]

Wishing you all success, and welcome back =)

[jobob]

What they all said - best wishes for you.

[Selkie]

Chris - It's good to have you back. Best wishes. Hope to hear about your experiences trying out for and hopefully, becoming a bike patrol cop! I think it would be a great job (either that or a K9 handler, of course).

[kenyonchris]

Thank you everyone for the well wishes!
We have a pretty small department, so I don't get to do the bike thing full time. We patrol on bike in the park when the weather is nice and there is a need for presence in the park. I am also on mounted patrol, which is also fun. I think bike school, from what I hear, is fairly difficult but fun.
I will keep you guys posted.
The LBS called and my new MTB is in. Of course, it is 25 degrees with ice on the ground (a fun night to work) but I get to pick it up tomorrow morning. Hopefully, the weather will improve and I can get out to give it a shot on the trail!