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.