Quote Originally Posted by Offthegrid View Post
So give me a gentle push. What inspired you? How has commuting made your life better? Or what mistake did you make in the beginning that you can look back at and laugh now?
The need to get in some mileage and some weekday workouts is what inspired me. I don't feel too safe around here doing "after work" rides like I did back in Massachusetts (I don't know why, DH does them here all the time and I join him occasionally (ok...rarely).). Commuting gives me more energy during the day - I love early a.m. workouts. I have about 7.5 miles, depending on what route I take, so it's a nice, doable distance. How long would your's be? If you are nervous about the route - do a "dry run" - ride the route this weekend during non-commuting hours. It will give you an oppotunity to see the route, plot out alternates, get to know the terrain, so to speak.
The only real mistake I can say I've made is not checking to make sure everything (panniers, whatnots) is attached securely to the bike. It's always soooo slick to have to stop because your pannier is hanging down, about to fall off. Yeah, kids. Don't try this at home. I'm a professional!!