Welcome back!
Stepping away from something for a while and then returning can be a very good thing. My other obsession is acoustic guitars, and I find that whenever I take a break from them, when I come back my playing always seems fresher, different, and after any rustiness wears off, simply better. The same seems to be happening with me on the bike - for many years my cycling has been somewhat attenuated, but this year I found some ways to steal some time from the day to work in early morning miles. I've ridden more miles so far this year, just since June, than I have since 2008. It's been really, really lovely, and I find I am enjoying my rides more than I think I can ever remember enjoying them before.