A while back I remember pummeling myself for not hitting my monthly goal of 333 miles to reach this year's target of 4,000 miles. But when my doctor recommended surgery for prostate cancer, I thought my riding days were over for a long time.
Would I have to buy a recumbent? Would I be able to ride at all in 1 month, 2 months, 3 months?
It wasn't as long as I thought it would be; about five weeks. Some guys at the prostate support group were surprised I was back at it that soon. Well, I took it real easy.
One observation I can make is that how far or fast I ride isn't that important anymore. And it doesn't matter how new or techie the bike is. What's important is that I'm back on two wheels, and that makes me plenty happy. I'm laying the groundwork for longer rides next year and maybe some bike tours next summer.
Another observation is that walking isn't that much safer than riding a bicycle. Pedestrians in crosswalks mean nothing to most people; I even came within inches of getting right-hooked by a car in a crosswalk.
That being said, I'm pleased to report that I rode a grand total of 167 miles this month. On average I rode every other day, averaging 10 or 11 miles per ride. I'm 2,759 miles for the year, which surpasses last year.
That picture at top: I tried to shoot some cyclists in a double paceline as they approached against a backdrop of colorful fall leaves. By the time I got the camera out and pointed, they had passed by. This is the Lake Washington trail along I-405 in Bellevue.
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