I have just started to get back on my bike after a long time away and I have been totally enjoying it. I was really a bit nervous at first, as the reason I stopped riding years ago was that I got hit by a car (no serious injuries but it hurt when I hit the road!!!).
Me too! It's been, I think, 4 years since I last rode, which is when I got hit by a car that pulled out in front of me (failure to yield the right of way - technically, I hit them, but it was their fault). I think it scared me more than I realized even though I managed not to fall and wasn't injured.
Anyway, further back than that, I rode daily to and from work, about 10 km away. It was so good for me, and although I didn't ride in the winter, I rode in all kinds of weather spring through fall, and for all kinds of shifts at the group home. Luckily it didn't matter too much what it looked when I arrived at work.
A few years back, I planned to start again, got my bike tuned up, and promptly put my back out. Didn't ride that summer, or the next. Then I moved, only 5 km away from work (little more by car, less by bike through paths). Resolved that I was going to start riding most of the time. But didn't. Have been in this house just under 2 years, and hadn't ridden at all.
Until today :-)
When they tuned up my bike, they changed the seat for me and screwed up the adjustments, so first I had to lower my seat. I need to raise my handlebars too, but couldn't figure out how to do it. If it's the place where you put the allan key right on the top of the shaft and handlebars, then it must be seized. Couldn't budge it. Will try to oil it and try again. Anyway, didn't let that stop me, even though I'm shifted too far forward for comfort, it's only 5 km! So I hopped on and off I went. Gosh, I've missed that lovely feeling. And I can already tell, though I'm waaaay out of shape, that it's going to be a totally great ride. Mostly flat-ish, only a couple small hills (which I walked today, because my knees were complaining - they got messed up a little while ago and not fully back to normal yet). Not too far to be difficult, once back in the routine, but far enough to be worthwhile doing it. Slightly more downhill on the way home, which is always nice.
Favourite moment of the ride was going past a spot and noticing (because of the smell) a spot with a whole lot of lilac trees. Also, though I wimped out and rode mostly on the sidewalk on the way there, dismounting to cross at lights, on the way back I got brave and made my left hand turn at the lights from the normal turn lane.