This Sunday marked my return to the world of cycling after a sixteen year break. I managed to pull off a 8.6 mile ride from my house along Baseline Rd. to my eventual goal in Claremont.

About two miles into my ride, I began to recollect many of the little details about cycling that I had long since forgotten. In short, you never really forget these things and after about three miles I was truly beginning to enjoy my ride.

Unfortunately, it was shortly after this point that I accidently knocked my bike computer from its base while changing gears. As my computer flew towards the gutter I reacted too quickly and abruptly stopped my bike to retrieve it. This was a big mistake as no sooner did a tremendously painful muscle cramp set in on my right calf. Despite having warmed up I have to believe the abrupt stop is what caused it.

Still, this didn't really help things as, unbeknownst to me, I was about to face about one mile of very steep hill as I entered into Claremont. Eventually, I was able to struggle my way up the hill which was definitely the most difficult part of the ride.

Overall, it was a beautiful morning and I really enjoyed this particular path. Generally speaking, Baseline Rd. accommodates bikes quite well with its wide lanes, light traffic and occasional bike paths. I noticed a good amount of seasoned cyclists as well, which was reassuring. I'll be attempting it again this weekend. Without the muscle cramp, of course.