I wrote the previous post – Ugh, And Ugh – yesterday. Alas, it would not post. I saved it as a Word document, and successfully posted it today. I’m writing this separately because my attitude has changed. During last night’s bike ride home from work, I reflected back on when I first started commuting by bike. The shortest safe bike route to work was 7.8  miles. I needed to take a short break after riding over the overpass over Hwy 395. I used the same route I ride home now – about 10.5 miles – and I usually stopped in the shade at Chiawana Park to cool down and catch my breath.

I don’t need those breaks now. Even though I didn’t ride while I was training for the Badger Mountain Challenge, the biggest difference is finding a comfortable mindset on the bike – I certainly didn’t lose any fitness doing all that running! I’ve ridden about a dozen times over the last month, and most of those were commutes; I’m getting back into the mental condition I need to have to ride a bike.

I feel better this morning than I did yesterday, despite only getting about six hours of sleep. (I woke up around three, and I didn’t fall back to sleep until around five. I was tempted to get up at four, but what would I have done? I’m hopeful the reading and remaining still was restful enough.) This morning’s ride along the river was pretty. There was nothing picture-worthy about it, nothing that took my breath away. It was just a pleasant morning, and I was happy to be present in it.

Every day is another chance.