I think I'm back in the game... it's been more than a year since I commuted consistently, but after the rides this week I can't begin to imagine why I stopped. Since I stopped, though, I've put on 20 pounds, so it was a bad call!

Decided around Christmastime that a new bike would certainly help me get motivated, so I convinced dw that I needed one, and ended up with this:

It's a CrossCheck Complete, upgraded with SRAM Rival (gifted by a very generous friend from work) and some free street/commuting tires gifted by the manager of the shop where I bought it (they came from his personal collection, also very generous!) So, got the new bike, rode a few times to get back in shape, commuted once, and then weather and life got in the way. It's taken me a while to get the motivation to start back, but I finally did.

Started last week with 2 days of half-commutes (drive, park, ride, reverse...) Drove yesterday with the bik e in the truck and rode the full 15 miles home last night, and then back in this morning, and it feels great. Weather is beautiful when it's not storming here in N. Texas, and the wind this morning actually worked with me for a change. Trying a new route since I last did this regularly, and I love it - farms, rolling hills, nice curvy road, and not much traffic for a good half of the ride. Up the hills not so fun yet, but the ride down the other side is awesome.