Back in the Saddle Again

Today's Tracking Worked Great
It's again been way, way too long since I've ridden.
I DO have excuses.  Cold weather, Jacque's Dad died and we spent a couple weeks traveling and tending to arrangements, etc, etc.
Today, however, dawned sunny and clear, and I had a lunch date in Edgewood with my great friend Paul N5DBB.  I decided there was no time like the present to make a few miles on the recumbent bike, and it was great.
I'm continually chagrined that, when I'm off the bike for a while, it gets easier to put off resuming the habit of regular riding.  There's always something that seems to demand your time and prevent you from actually saddling up and GETTING GOING.  Then, when I actually get going, I'm reminded how much FUN biking is and how GREAT it makes me feel even if it's tiring, and of course often BECAUSE it's tiring.
Even though my legs are lacking tone, it still felt WONDERFUL to be out on the road pedaling along.  I was late for my 11:45 lunch appointment, and was tempted to forgo the ride due to a last minute incoming phone call just before I departed.  Even though I was 15-20 minutes late it was just SO good to be out in the fresh air getting the blood circulating again.
On the way down the hill on County Line Road I was surprised to be accosted by a pair of large dogs.  Jacque and I have ridden this route many times before and only encountered barking dogs behind fences that kept them in, but this pair of mutts charged right through their open gate and rushed toward me.  I decided to play "Chicken" with the lead dog and steered the bike straight toward him as he charged, and he decided to veer off into the weeds and rocks rather than collide with me, which slowed him down enough he - and his companion - could not catch me as I raced past them.  Snicker.
On the way back, I debated with myself whether to take another route (Mountain Valley Road) to avoid the dogs since this time it would be slightly uphill and no way would I be able to outrun them.  I decided to go back past the threatening doggies, but armed myself with a crooked stick I found under a tree alongside the road.  At least I would have some means of defending myself if they actually got close enough to bite me.  A hundred yards later I had to stop for a pee break and spotted a like-new golf ball on the side of the road, which looked like another good weapon:

So, with Big Stick across the handlebars and the golf ball in one hand, I resumed riding.  When I went past the open gated property, no doggies appeared to harass me.  Evidently they were safe inside their house this time.  Which is just as well.  I probably would have fallen off the bike trying to swing the stick or throw the golf ball at them.  I did throw the ball into the front basket, however.  It might come in handy someday.... HAH

Stats from the GPS: Total Miles:  24.02
Overall average speed            Moving Avg               Max Speed
  6.6 MPH                                9.1 MPH                   28.0 MPH
Total Trip time                       Moving Time             Stopped Time
  3 hours 36 mins                     2 hours 38 mins      58 minutes 36 seconds