New Jersey in the fall...

Another perfect fall day - sunny, temps in the low 60s, and the colors are close to peak. And so I headed out to play two-wheels leaf-peeper. One of the great things about Lawrenceville is that from our house I can hit the road and be out in true country in a matter of about five miles (trivia time: our mayor is a farmer on the edge of the town limits). My goal today was the Sourland Mountains which is mostly preserved land with scattered country houses and small farms. And lest anybody jump to conclusions, let it be known that New Jersey is not really a mountainous state. We have lots of rolling hills but the high point in the entire state is only about 1200 feet of elevation. We therefore tend to be somewhat liberal in what we call "mountains." The Sourlands could also be described as just a whole bunch of rocky hills but that does not sound as romantic. In any case it is a region with lots of trees, wildlife (deer and an occasional black bear), and a couple of pretty little streams - great place to ride and take a few pictures. It was the first time since starting up on the bike again that I have gone after any kind of real hills but I must be getting stronger because I enjoyed every minute - and I have yet to test the granny gear on the new bike.

One of the neat little moments today was moving down one of the no-shoulder roads on an uphill section. I guess I was focused on the road more than the scenery because out of the corner of my eye I caught a sudden movement which turned out to be a deer who apparently didn't see me either. He (or she) was feeding at the edge of the road and I got to within five feet when he saw me and jumped almost straight up and then made an abrupt right turn and headed off into the woods with his buddy. Another reason why I love cycling...would never have that experience in a car.

The pictures are all in the Sourlands except the shot with the blue sky and white fence. That is on the edge of Lawrenceville and is actually the site of one of the last grass airports in the United States. It had been there since the early 20th century and, in fact, Charles Lindbergh had used it years ago (his house in the Sourlands was the scene of the Lindbergh baby kidnapping in the early thirties). The owner was in his mid-eighties and and sold it about a year ago. Fortunately it will be developed as soccer fields for the local kids and not as another suburban plot of colonials.

So for the day...forty three miles, a tad under 15 mph average, and the new bike is still an absolute joy. I'm a little sore tonight but I think that is going to be part of life for awhile - nothing that a couple of Advil cannot remedy.

Deja vu all over again...

And again, and again, and again...That line is attributed to Yogi Berra but is also the thought that was running through my head today. Being back on the bike and riding the familiar roads that stretch out from Lawrenceville - it is hard to express what a great feeling it is. Today was simply a gorgeous day. After a cloudy start the sun came out, the temperature was somewhere in the low 70s, and with the fall colors of New Jersey I couldn't have had a better day for a ride if I had designed it myself. When I picked up the new bike a couple weeks ago the shop was out of computers - no big deal since all I wanted to do was get in a quick ride to make sure I could still do it without toppling over. However, a couple of rides later I wanted to have my "numbers fix" and so I picked up the computer and put it on the bike this morning. I'm not really obsessed with numbers but I do like to know how far, how fast, and how much time so I felt like the new bike was now complete. Today was actually my sixth ride (so who's counting?) since I picked up the bike. I've progressed from an initial 20 miles to 35 today and at a 15 mph average - not bad for a recovery ride. I was officially "graduated" from physical therapy on Tuesday but still have a bit of swelling in the ankle and leg and a few other miscellaneous aches and pains that will pass eventually. I don't think I'm ready for a century yet (although maybe by year-end...) but I feel amazingly comfortable on the bike - no back pain, the ankle is still a bit weak but not painful, and my balance is good. Needless to say I feel very lucky. And speaking of deja vu...I was watching my speed over the first 10/15 miles of my ride today and was more than a little surprised at how well I was doing - 20 and 22 mph when I went into the big ring (and no, it wasn't all downhill) and averaging 16+. However, somewhere around the 15 mile mark I made my turn and started heading back home and - you guessed it - discovered the head wind I would have most of the way home. For a minute I actually thought I was back in Texas or Kansas where we woke up almost every morning to some degree of headwinds. Tomorrow is a rest day but next time out I will take the camera and add a few photos of New Jersey fall colors.

And with a matching helmet...

That is a bike that just finished it's maiden voyage - the first trip of what I hope will be many miles. I had my fitting yesterday, picked up the bike this morning and was on the road within the hour. I didn't go far - maybe 20 miles - but it felt like the ride of the year for me. The bike is a Cannondale Synapse and it is truly a dream bike. It is light as a feather (and you might notice I went out without the added weight of the seat pack - no flats fortunately) and is a marvel to ride. But for me even more of a marvel was that I am on any bike and enjoying it. I started out with a tour of the closed circuit of our neighborhood. I ran through my mental checklist: turn, shift your weight, clip in and clip out, stop, avoid the potholes etc, etc...I turned out onto the street with "real" traffic watching for everything. I headed into the first intersection with a traffic light and a left turn lane with just a bit of trepidation - a lot of double-checking (is that redundant?) before I moved into the left turn lane. And I must say that once that little hurdle was passed it was all good. The bike is without doubt the best - I felt like Lance moving along the road. The ankle and leg felt good and I loved every curve and little rise the the road gave me.

It is so good to be back....