Had a great ride today with a couple of friends - it was very helpful to ride with people who have been riding since they were 5 years old! Come to find out, I have misunderstood something about shifting that has caused me to walk up a few more hills than I have probably had to.

You see, I forgot that front and back shifts opposite each other. Or perhaps I never understood it. So I've been confusing my poor Trek. Easy gear on front and hard gear on back. No wonder I've been struggling with hills! This is the thing when you are basically teaching yourself something, sometimes you learn things wrong.

I also fell over....and have a nice knot coming up on my elbow. We were on a rather steep hill, narrow curvy road with rough pavement. My speed dropped to 3.5 mph and there was this minivan who just would not pass me - she was crowding me and this made me nervous.

I should have stopped and walked it before I did, but wound up falling over - in the grass not the road in front of the minivan Hit my elbow on edge of pavement and wrenched my shoulder. I think both are fine, though the elbow will likely be colorful for a time - so I can make up wild stories about what happened A nice long knot is forming beside and over my elbow - so ice and ibuprophen is the name of the game for now.

All in all it was a great 20-mile ride! Even if I was working in the hills more than I actually had to, I wasn't very tired at the end, though I can feel my quads just a little. A great way to spend a few hours on a cool and sunny Indiana afternoon!