Only very recently have I gathered the nerve to both ride to work and to do urban riding at all. While I still prefer my trails and country roads, I suddenly find myself far more willing to ride places I would have rejected the very idea as little as 2 months ago. I am still cautious, and I am still very new at this, but there is something pretty cool about this process.

This was an unexpected and unquantifiable outcome of my starting to ride to work a mere once a week, and I am curious if others have found other unexpected benefits of commuting.