Tallented1, all I can say is yeah for you!!! I too am fairly new at biking again. I started biking 10 years or so ago with my husband about 2 years after the birth of my son, from the recomendation of my doctor. We rode quite frequently taking my son with us in the pull behind trailor. It was great, but as he got older and too heavy to pull anymore, and couldn't leave him home alone, and work, and just life, we quit. Well, like I said that was 10 years ago. I have now gotten my bike back out to start again, because, I am 42, overweight and want to be around longer and healthy while I am here.
I too have arthritis in my hip, but the biking doesn't bother that to much so I think you need to make sure your bike is fitting you correctly. Even though you didn't buy it from the LBS, try taking it in there, or calling them and ask them if they will help you fit your bike correctly. I'm like you if it is painful and a struggle, I am not going to stick with it long.
My biggest inspiration has been coming to this site and reading all the information. The stories of these women, who all have different shapes, sizes, ablities and talents, and get out there and just do this. These women are the best support and will help you in anyway they can. They help keep you motivated and help with problems, and tell you everything you might need to know or should know.
There is a lot of information on the site if you search for anything you want to know you will probably find many threads on it, but if not, you can always ask again, nobody has seemed to mind that either, or will tell you how to search. Gather all the information you can, and don't give up.
I've been going at it for almost a month now, and the more I go, the more I enjoy it. I still have mornings or days that I don't want to get out there and go, but if I make myself and go, I find that I am very happy for doing so.
I feel worse on the days I don't ride than I do on the days I ride even if it's a short one.
Oh, if you don't want to spend a lot of money right now, Wal-Mart, has some little cheap computers for you bike to give you distance, mph, and so on. I just bought one for 10 dollars for my son's bike because I did not want to spend a lot of money on one for him right now, but he wanted one. I don't know yet how well it works cause like I said I just got i a couple of days ago, and DH has not put it on his bike yet. But that is a thought.
Man, sorry this was so long.