Fracture

Broke my ankle. I was glazing some windows on my house when a ladder I was standing on lost traction on the concrete. It suddenly skidded backward and I came crashing down impacting on my right foot. Ouch.

Back from the dead (sort of)

I've lessened my bike commuting to Mondays to and Fridays from because I decided to broaden my fitness regimen to running and stationary rowing. On top of that my family, my body, and my work schedule just can't tolerate the mid week rides. The 25 mile trip home and the return trip back early the next morning was just too much.

Sadly I put the bike away last fall when it started getting darker. My first winter I biked to work was a personal challenge. I was proud of my ability to bike in almost any weather but it just wore me down. Especially the days when I biked home and had bike back early the next day (as mentioned above). I was just too tired and all I wanted to do when I got home was go to bed. I wasn't much good to my family then.

The logistics of winter riding was a major pain as well; long underwear, booties, Goretex jacket, head band, gloves or mittens, sheesh! Last fall I just wasn't looking forward to another winter grind. If my ride was a bit shorter I'd have had a different attitude. But with such a long distance it was more of a commitment than I was willing to make. Plus my bike was getting beat up and corroded. I could have gotten a junkier bike but then the ride would have been all the more of a hassle.

But the last straw was the darkness. Biking in the dark just got boring. I spent more time looking out for potholes than enjoying the ride. A few days last winter when it was sunny and really cold I was itching to ride again. But I wimped out.