Starting Again at Ground Zero ....

[jobob]

Hello HG, and welcome to the fray!

There's a reason why my avatar shows a bike with training wheels...

<--- see?

We were all beginners at one time or another. And although I'm a relative oldtimer and old fart around here, I'm still learning new stuff.

So embrace your return to newbiehood! It won't last long.

[Aggie_Ama]

Welcome we all were new or felt new again or just felt inadequate. My signature says "Can't never could". My mom said it to me so much as a child I hated it. Now I think it is the wisest thing ever, maybe I am biased. So do 5 miles, do 2 miles, do the whole loop. The fact that you are trying means you don't like the word can't either. You have found friends here, WELCOME!

[Susan126]

Welcome HG! I am looking forward to reading all about your progress! You will be amazed at how quickly you will regain all! Hang in there. You took the first and biggest step by returning to your cycling!

Sue

[lph]

Go for it! But be patient. The extra weight and lack of fitness took years to get, it might take a year or more to shake. But this is a change for life, right? Once you're back in it you'll want to stay there, so it's worth working long-distance for!

[OakLeaf]

Welcome HG!

I'm on my third year of a return to cycling after a 12 year hiatus. I love to ride again now, and although I'll never again be as fast a cyclist as I "used to be," I'm more fit in other ways and a lot happier!

I hope you can give yourself permission to be where you are right now. It took that long for me. No one needs for you to go out and win races tomorrow, so ride what feels comfortable to you. Challenge yourself, don't beat yourself up.

I think you'll find that it will come back quickly since you obviously have a good fitness base.

Above all, have fun!

[Bike Goddess]

Hi HG!

Some of us live in the SF Bay area. One of us- Rollie Pollie lives in the Pollock Pines area. Since you live in the mountains and we don't know where, are you far away as in up north?

We have some nice rides down here which you are welcome to do if you get down this way.

I look forward to your progress as well. Good luck and keep it up! Cycling will help you mentally as well as physically. Isn't that a good thing!

[HermitGirl]

I'm back from my re-initiation ride. 5.5 miles, climbed a steep section for 15 minutes then rode around back and forth on the somewhat 'flat' section on the hip of the mtn, total was 43 minutes ride time. Okay, so, I felt strong on the hill anyway. What's amazing is that I feel much more confidence and motivation crawling up a steep hill than I do cranking out the flat miles. I'm meant to be a hill rider all the way, rollie pollie and all. Thanks everyone, for encouraging me, it helps so much. Next ride, probably Sunday, (today is Wednesday) I will go for a little more distance on that climb (even a quarter of a mile is huge) and push it for about an hour. In the mean time, I will be hiking an hour days I'm not riding. My back hurts already. But it's a good hurt, and I feel like I'm on top of the world. Riding always does put me in an excellent mood.

You think an hour of varied ascent/descent and rollyknolly area is good for weightloss on a regular basis?

[HermitGirl]

Hi HG!

Some of us live in the SF Bay area. One of us- Rollie Pollie lives in the Pollock Pines area. Since you live in the mountains and we don't know where, are you far away as in up north?

We have some nice rides down here which you are welcome to do if you get down this way.

I look forward to your progress as well. Good luck and keep it up! Cycling will help you mentally as well as physically. Isn't that a good thing!

I"m on Mt Veeder in Napa. I just like to ride the Drycreek and Veeder area, with some of the Sonoma Cavedale Road (off Trinity) area on occasion. Really close in, but really steep and I have gotten use to riding solo mostly, mostly because I don't care to drive to ride. Thanks for your encouragment Bike Goddess.