I rode the bike for a solid month and a half last August and September, just before our wedding. Over those six weeks, I put on at least fifty miles per week, three days at a minimum. I knew, the last time I was on the bike, that it was due for its break-in maintenance. Now before I get myself in trouble, let me just assert that marriage had no effect on my exercise routine.

The last time I rode the bike, prior to getting it tuned today, was actually my wedding day itself. I went out for a quick twenty mile ride during the early afternoon.

We moved into this house the night we got back from our honeymoon. The place was still a major construction zone and every free moment for the remainder of the good Fall weather was claimed by the house as we tried our best to make it comfortable and livable.

The next time I looked outside to bike, it was cold and snow was blanketing the town. The days were short and with the ice and cold wind, it was hardly road riding weather. So instead, I opted to get fat.

Once, maybe twice if I feel like exaggerating, I churned my mountain bike through the snowpack. It was great fun and exhausting work, but it was cold and the task of getting all bundled up and prepared for the artic conditions was simply too much effort. So I left my fitness in the hands of the gods and a handful of ski trips.

We're now in the midst of Spring, and with the current blast of pre-Summer heat, it's been the rare day when I haven't been outside working on the lawn, hauling bricks, shoveling dirt or just outside being active. And since my travels today took me right past the bike shop where I bought my ride, I figured it was prime time to cash in that thirty day tune-up.

Even if it was a bit overdue, the bike shop honored the deal and my bike was tightened up and ready to go in just about an hour. Tonight, after dinner in the cooler weather of the early evening, I spent the better part of 90 minutes pushing the pedals around the backroads just south of town. The bike hummed along beautifully as I cruised on roads I hadn't seen since late last year.

Fresh from the shop and riding like it was new, I could almost imagine the past half year of inactivity was just a dream. That is, except for the heavy breathing.