I finally managed to get my long-neglected bike into working order again and took it out for a morning ride. We live just off the Washington & Old Dominion Trail and I rode along from mile-marker 20 to 22.

When I was in high school, I worked as a house painter/messenger/gofer for a painting crew in New York City. I routinely rode from our home in Brooklyn up to the upper east and west sides of Manhattan and back again. I was never in amazing shape, but I could hold my own.

Today’s roughly 5 mile ride (we live about .5 miles from the trail) all but killed me. My knees ached all through the ride, I was horribly out of breath. I feel like I’ve been beaten up.

I think I have some work to do…