Thanks to everyone for this wonderful advice and encouragement. It makes me feel that the journey this time will be FUN and that maybe I'll be able to get beyond the "stuck at the beginner" stage! I can't wait to try these things.

I did fairly recently take up bicycling again, but I got one of the new low-slung ones I don't have to be so scared of falling off. I can put my feet down flat on the ground when I stop. Taking that one slowly, too.

--Linda