I've been doing a lot of yoga lately.

*****warning RIDE REPORT *****

As some of you know, I have been struggling with a leg injury that has kept me off the bike for 6 months. Misdiagnosed several times, long boring story short, 3rd doctor was the smart one:  damaged nerve issues.   I am finally currently just about pain free with my fingers tightly crossed.  

I am not a talented cyclist.  I am a terrible descender.  I am a slow climber.  I am a liability in any peloton. My proudest moment on a bike is finishing an event more then 3 hours behind the winner!

BUT I LOVE TO BIKE.  And being unable to cycle for so long has been - let's just say - difficult.  

So on a bleak, cloudy morning, I set out for the first ride with my wife in over 6 months - she's been bravely riding without me.  I was nervous but hopeful. 

The usual cows were out to greet us: 

We chose a nice secret road that cars are blocked from using:

I was near tears as I "bagged" my first col (mountain pass) in half a year.  

Then my wife whispered to me:  "if we go up high enough we might be able to get above these clouds."  I love my wife for many reasons, and today just added another reason.  

We started heading higher on a beautiful but steep little farm road.  We enjoyed the deep silence of thick fog as we passed into the clouds.   Just the sound of companionable heavy breathing.  As we approached 1000 metres of altitude I was worried that the cloud cover was just too high - we weren't dressed for anything too crazy.

Then suddenly we broke through into glorious sunshine.  It's hard to describe the thrill and uplift of emotions when one breaks through into the sunshine out of the dark, gloomy grey.  

above the clouds: 

Below is as happy as I have been in a long,long time.  I am going to take our breaking through into the sunshine as a metaphor for us starting to ride again together.   Vive le vélo.

Civilization is below those clouds. 

Photos on FLICKR

And for the record, cycling is infinitely more fun than swimming: