My return to bicycling was distressing. It felt like forever ago since I had last been riding my bicycle! Leg muscles were screaming, “what are you doing to us!” I did feel good about my lungs and heart not sending the same message, but any slight uphill was torture on my legs!

How is it I can walk for miles per day, but when sitting on a bicycle seat my leg muscles are feeling like new? Both activities use the same major muscles: glutes and quads. Apparently I am not stressing my leg muscles enough when walking! That may be so true when I am sightseeing and/or birding. No way am I walking fast or pumping my arms, but I am usually wearing a semi-heavy backpack. Hmmm…

Well reality set in with the message: get back on the bike! I’m hoping my leg muscles are happy with it all soon… then I’ll be happy too! Moral of my story: keep moving muscles in a variety of ways through different activities.

Or use my bicycle like this man I saw in Naples, Italy: