Oh my gosh - what great responses, stories and advice! It is very heartening hearing that others were in the same boat that I am. The bike I have is brand new, so I am assuming it's in good condition to ride. It's not a road bike or mountain bike, however, it's a comfort bike. I got it thinking that it would be easier to ride with my kids on bike paths etc., but I obviously want to use it when I ride by myself too. Did I make a wrong decision?

I definitely need to learn the art of shifting gears. Someone up-thread mentioned going into the hill in too low of a gear - that's exactly what I did - and I could NOT get those pedals moving

I will let you know when I conquer that hill - thanks again for the replies.

P.S. I'm so glad I stumbled upon this forum. I've only been a member 24 hours and I am already hooked!