I broke my foot in mid-August doing something really stupid and mundane. Starting to pedal, I jammed my foot onto my pedal, missed the platform and crunched the shit out my foot. Two cracked metatarsals, and nearly 4 months later, I'm still not back to my regular self. Apparently when you're over 30, bones take a long time to heal. 

This injury was a huge pain the butt bummer. I had to skip the Solar Eclipse Campout Bike Ride with Komorebi and Friends on Bikes . I went to NYC in a walking boot (which I promptly ditched for a CitiBike. Don't tell my doctor.) My foot is still a funky shape and shoes no longer fit the same, but I did buy Crocs! 

Thankfully, I am now healed enough to walk around without a limp (as long as it's not over a mile) and biking is no longer painful. This does mean I've taken nearly 4 months off my bike. Which feels like forever.

And now that I can get back on the bike, I haven't been quick to get back on. My first "long" ride was Cranskgiving last weekend, and it was 16 miles. Have I touched my bike since? Nope. Somehow, I went from a daily bike rider to an every-once-in-a-while rider.

I feel like my bike is a friend that I've lost touch with, and am not sure how to start the conversation again. In the time that I've been off, the seasons changed and it's now cold outside.

Instead of riding in whatever I happen to be wearing (usually a dress), I'll need to actually think about my clothing and the functionality of it on a bike.

In this season of change and difficulty, I'm trying to be gentle on myself. Just because I don't ride today or this week, doesn't mean I can't start again when the weather gets good. I started from zero a few years ago, and I can always start again.