Around 6 1/2 years ago I had a fall from my bicycle which broke both of my elbows. The physical injury healed in about 6 or 8 months. The mental trauma has taken much, much longer. I can remember taking our recumbent tandem down to the Katy Trail, getting it ready to ride, and not feeling confident enough to even start. How I longed for the care free days when I could hop onto my bike and just go.

I'm happy to report that the old care free days are back. It's taken a long time, a couple of different psychologists and a lot of money spent on different recumbents before I could get my head around riding a recumbent tricycle.
Yesterday Mrs. Grouch and I started at our condo and casually rode down Jungs Station hill to the Katy Trail and into St Charles for breakfast. That has become a common ride for us. 5 years ago it would have been unthinkable. A little earlier in the week I did a group ride which included a short spur on a state highway to the lunch stop. Afterward, the ride leader asked how comfortable I was riding so low to the ground on that section. Before she had asked, I hadn't even thought about it.

My recovery has been so gradual that I didn't feel it at the time. It's only by looking back over an extended period of time that I'm able to see it. Let me tell you, it feels real good.