First commute in five weeks

I've spent the last three weeks driving my DD to and from daycamp and the two weeks before that on vacation, so today was my first day back on my bike for my commute.

In those five weeks, two things happened: they gave me a shoulder on one of the scariest stretches of my route (on a two lane road where you're going downhill at about 30+ m.p.h. the wide shoulder just disappears on a curve--they resurfaced the road and painted on a shoulder! The road isn't any wider, but I feel a bit safer) AND they completely removed the road through one section. It's temporary (putting in new sewer lines) but it's really gone--I figured "local traffic only" meant it was o.k. for a bike to get through. The detour was onto an expressway, so I didn't have much choice. They *did* let me through, thankfully, but it was nerve wracking--steel plates covered with mud followed by large muddy gravel. I should have walked my bike, but I didn't realize what I was getting into and I was sure I was going to go down.

So now I need to find a new route home today. But it was so nice to be back on my bike for the commute!

Sarah

Good for you for getting past the inertia and getting back on the bike -- and good luck finding an alternate route! Construction zones sure can be a trick this time of year. I was on a long road ride last week -- in the morning I noticed the new chip seal but didn't realize it was still an active work zone. By the time I got back the whole area was closed and I had to detour significantly -- ended up with 57 miles instead of the planned 50!

Yay for the new shoulder!