Soreness is the Natural State

Thanks to a rough pair of Boot Camps, I can barely straighten my arms. Only when bent at 90 degrees or less does the pain diminish. But I won't be held back.

Nashville's weather has hit an all-time low for me. We just broke a streak of 12 90-degree degrees, the longest for June in 21 years. With humidity in the oppressive range, an hour or two in the elements was enough to drain away my energy most days.

Here's a glimpse of how that's impacted me - our first day of "dry" heat was yesterday, which also marked the first time in 2009 I rode my bicycle anywhere. Last summer, I frequently felt as if I were just dragging the bicycle beneath me - this is partly my fault for going with a mountain bike instead of a road bike, but coordination like mine requires wide tires.

A couple of miles at sunset was just the tonic I needed to endure this bike-unfriendly burg (in West Nashville, bicycle lanes are generally treated as on-street parking). If you're not out by 6 a.m., the heat and traffic make the ride untenable. That just won't fly in Melville country.