Micki - you'll love it and it's great exercise!
I am lucky in that I live in the country and can go on back roads for miles. I also have a bike rack if I feel like cycling a bit further afield. Bike racks are not that expensive and you can often get them on special offers.
A tip - before you buy a new bike make sure that they allow you to test ride it.
After all, it's a fair outlay and you want it to be right for you for some time to come. I went with a friend to buy her new bike at one of the nationwide bike/car accessory showrooms and I was horrified that she was only allowed to sit on it! What good is that? ::)I went to an independent shop and he had a great selection of bikes and his prices were as good as the "big boys". He let me ride on several .... down the road and back again (as many times as I liked
) he advised me on things I wasn't sure about and gave me a discount card for future purchases with him. We were so impressed with his helpfulness that hubby decided he'd treat himself to a new bike too and he did us an even better deal on the 2!!
Also, don't forget a helmet!!