New Year - New Training Season

Well, I know that I have been away for a long time. It was a busy end of the year for me and a trying time. I FINALLY finished my Master's Thesis in Architecture (which is why I have not been witing) just in time to get home and get the last of my shopping done before Christmas arrived. And, if you're marrried, you know the rest of the story...shuufling between house holds, making sure that you please everybody but yourselves. We had Christmas Eve at the church with the family (my Sister was in from France...) then we headed over to spend the rest of Christmas Eve with Eva's Family. Christmas morning, we had a few hours by ourselves before headin up to my Parents place at Lake Kiowa. Where we spent most of the week, save two days at home unpacking, trying to stay out of each others way. New Years Eve was rather uneventful. We cooked Blackeyed Peas and Cornbread for the Happy New Rear Ride on New Years Day.New Years Day brought about a cold and windy day. The wind was out of the North at about 15-20 mph and for those riding the 28 or 38 mile courses it made for a windy second half of the ride. Having developed a problem with my back over the last two months, I decided to take it easy and only rode the 28 mile route. I started off fast and only had one group in front of me and continued to try to catch them. I decieved myself into thinking that I was catching them because as they topped of every rise they appeared closer than they actually were and I ended up using a lot of energy in vain. At the split, most of them took the 38 mile turnand I took the 28. Coming around the west side of the loop, there was a slight mix-up with some of the directions. If you new that you were supposed to be on Hwy 1827 and looked up to see the sign then you new that you were supposed to turn left, however there were no pavement markers, they had spray painted every ohter corner telling us wher to turn, but had missed this one not knowing that some of us would be out there riding blindly without knowing the route.....not totally there fault I have some blame in it as well. I had them call SAG support to go out and fix it after I finished. So, just after missing the turn I started to stop and look at the map, when I saw a ridier I was trying to catch earlier still in front of me and thought that I was ok and followed on. I soon cought him as he finally figured out and confirmed my fears that we were not supposed to be on that road. Undaunted, we rode on and found pur way back while riding a close match to the intended mileage. And, we were the first 28 milers in.Since then, it has been slow going on the bike, mostly on the trainer. I got one more ride in before our anniversary trip to Steamboat Springs and have done five more sessions this last week. I can feel the loss of endurance and power from the time off of the bike, but I am now trying to build that back up and loose the weight that I have regained over the Holiday Season, That I swore I was not going to gain, but loose.For the Back Problem, It hurts when I walk or stand for a peroid of time. If I bend over at the waist it slowly realeases the muscle tightening in my lower back adn all the way down my leg, kinda like a Sciatica Pain. I am seeing an Orthopedist, my next appointment is Tuseday, while seeing a Chiropractor 3 times a week. Hopefully, between the two of them we can get this thig liked so I can go back to the gym and work the treadmill, elliptical, and the weights. It has really put a kink in my off season training.I am going to try to get in a recovery ride today after some big gear spinning yesterday.......P.S. On our Anniversary we found out we were expecting....Woooohoooo!