Day 1

Yesterday was the test. I picked an apartment for the fall semester ~5 miles from the university. That’s a 10+ mile a day ride, which will be done all by bike, in all weather and at all times of the day. So yesterday, being the first day back was the test. Commute in took around 30 minutes the longish way, and a very brisk pace, no problems, actually met one of my co-workers at the local co-op in her car passing me, we stopped together at one of the intersections on the rout. There is a 40mph 2 lane boulevard I travel on for about a mile and a half, about 2 miles from where I live, and people were nice, moving into the far lane and giving me the entire lane for travel. Might have helped I was in full reflective vest, lights flashing and a nice red helmet, as well as my pannier system on the back. Of course I also don’t have my front fenders on, as I had them off for the trip up, so naturally it rains like cats and dogs just when I need to go get food to stock up and be able to actually eat! I got very wet, and I never thought I would miss having chain guards, like my Velocampus bike had, but man do I miss them. The sun came out later and everything dried up nicely, and my ride home was nice except I forgot that the segregated path north actually dumps me off halfway down another road and I have to cross 4 lanes of traffic and cycle west to pick up the road I was already on, no wonder nobody uses it. Promptly slept for like an hour when I got home. Pictures will be coming once I have a day where I don’t have to make it in early or rush, its really a nice ride.