11.7 miles today -- it's a beautiful, sunny 50-something afternoon here in Boise, so I decided to ride out to "the hill" and see where I'm starting this spring. Getting to the hill was a rolling ride into the wind. Climbing the hill -- half a dozen stops at least: being a sloth for five months isn't good for hill climbing skills! Still, with a bottom speed of about 3 miles per hour, I made it up the hill, and it only took 15-20 minutes, even with the stops to let my heart rate drop a bit and my breathing catch up to me.

THE hill is a road that goes up to the Birds of Prey thing here in the Boise area. I don't remember how long or high the climb is, but it ends in a parking lot where the research facilities, etc. are. They do tours too -- it's a neat facility. Anyhow, a "victory lap" around the lot was important! A gentleman in the parking lot commented on the challenge of the climb, and I told him, yeah, it was a bear today, but by the end of the summer....

Coming back home? over 27mph on a nice straight downhill run -- WEEEEEEE!!!! (and back to the big ring too!)

What a GREAT feeling to be riding again!