Several days ago, I was walking (still limping, but it's getting better) up the street to feed the addiction with large quantities of ice cold Dr. Pepper. As per usual, I was longingly looking at all the passing cyclists, and feeling the need to feed another addiction - the type that riding on a trainer indoors isn't satisfying.
Recently when I've felt this pull, my body responds back "Not yet, buddy, you still need some more healing." This time, the response was, "Why not give it a shot, what's the worst that could happen? You have to return the bike to the docking station and walk (limp) back."
Emboldened by my body's laissez-faire attitude, I decided to give it a shot.
The addiction also likes salty snacks, specifically 7-Eleven's Maple Bacon chips.
And it felt... surprisingly normal!
I don't know what I was expecting, maybe to get on the bike, discover that all of my balancing skills had evaporated over the past 4 months, and fall over. Or, learn that I don't remember how to steer a bicycle, and suddenly dart into traffic. Thankfully, neither of those scenarios played out, and I successfully rode the city bike back to the docking station near the day job's office.
Success can be addictive, and just like my craving for caffeine, I soon found myself wanting more outdoor riding. The next day, I rode to and from the 7-Eleven! I'm still slow, and I can feel that the strength isn't completely back in the right leg, but it feels good to ride!
After a couple days of caffeine runs, I decided to up the ante - multi-modal commuting. I could take the train by my house into the city, and ride a city bike the 1.4 miles from the central hub to my office. I don't feel strong enough to do the full 9 mile commute yet, but I know I could handle the shorter ride.
Every day this week, I've ridden to and from the train station. It feels good to be a commuter again!
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