Loving my new Ridley X-BOW the more I ride it. Once you find the right bike and one that isn't constantly having problems, cycling takes on an entire new meaning and joy. For once I'm not struggling to get a bike on the rack or to get it into the car. Steel may be real, but aluminum is easier on the back. I do miss disc brakes though from my Mukluk.

Did my first 30 mile trip the other day! Took me two hours and 45 minutes and had a great time. My triceps completely gave out or I could have gone farther. The last 3 miles were agony because of it. I've struggled for the past 2 years or so just to get more than a few miles at a time so 30 miles is a HUGE milestone.

I put my road shorts on for the first time in a couple of years. Wow. What a difference from baggy mountain bike ones. My biggest gripe is no matter how much you spend on bike shorts, Lycra/Spandex is still easily ruined if you snag it on something. I had snagged them while sitting on the front porch a couple of years ago and just hand sewed the hole back up and never wore them again fearing they'd rip. I'd like to invest in another couple of pairs, but worry about the same issue of snagging.

How do you recover from long rides or is exhaustion normal after a couple of hours of riding? I get a dull headache and feel a little sick despite eating/drinking/resting afterwards.