My First Bike Commute! (and I didn't die!)

[CycleChic06]

Sigh, the ride home was almost better than the ride in this morning. Just let me tell you how great it felt to be cruising down the Esplanade on the bike path with the sun shining and the river sparkling and looking to my right and seeing the ridiculous line of traffic that I'd be sitting in. Oh, it just felt so good!

Ginger - 9 miles an hour! See, that's exactly what drove me to get on my bike. I was always so afriad of the ride too, but I realized this morning, it's not so bad! Try the ride an a weekend and see how it is.

Salsa - You know, I never really understood the bike skirt, but now I think I do. I guess a skirt would make me feel less self concious so I wouldn't have to run in and out of my building hoping no one sees me!

[F8th637]

Salsa - You know, I never really understood the bike skirt, but now I think I do. I guess a skirt would make me feel less self concious so I wouldn't have to run in and out of my building hoping no one sees me!

Haa haa, it just hit me too the benefits of having one. NOW I get it.

[MomOnBike]

I almost told you not to worry about letting your co-workers see you in spandex - but then I realized that I don't wear the tight stuff on the way out the door, either. Our patients don't need to see me in tight clothes.

A sarong tucked into the top of your shorts looks enough like a skirt to get you out to your bike, if your need more options than just a skirt.

Congrats on your time, BTW, you'll just get faster, and the cars will just keep sitting there.

MomOnBike
(who has cycled in Boston, and lived to tell about it)

[Duck on Wheels]

Good for you CC6!!! And brave in that traffic!
I finally did my commute today too. For me it's not faster than driving, but it's more fun. Multiuse trails and 2-lane sidewalks most of the way. No spandex to worry about either. It's only 2 miles each way, so I figure I can manage without the chamois etc. But it was cold for the season. Just 40F (4C), so I wore my Amici Veloci buff under my helmet, some light woolies under my clothes, and the glove liners DD forgot in the laundry here.
There were some complications at the outset. DH had washed all our bikes a week or so ago. Sweet of him! Then he locked them, just grabbing various locks from our collection. Turns out none of the keys on my keyring fit the lock he'd put on Ruby. In fact, one of them even broke in the lock . Luckily, I was able to pick the loose bit out of there, but now I have to find the spare of that key to unlock Big Red. Had to call DH at work and ask which key on our key rack fit the lock.
Then finally I could take off. Sorta. Noticed a strange click repeating and repeating. Sounded like it was coming from the front wheel. Stopped, lifted up the front of the bike and spun the wheel. Yep. A blip on the rim is hitting the left brake caliper. Not enough to trip me up, so I rode to work and home again, but next ride will have to be to the LBS to get it fixed.
What with the delays, I missed this morning's bike to work event (fresh fruit and a drawing for prizes) by 10 minutes. But the ride itself was prize enough.
Tomorrow I have to be dressed up for a PhD dissertation defense, and Monday/Tuesday the whole dept. is headed out to a hotel in the next county for a planning seminar. So next commute day will be Wednesday, including LBS stop on the way home. Looking forward to it already
Oh, and the asthma medicine works I made it up all the hills. Had to stop on top of the biggest one to let my HR drop, but I made it up without wheezing or coughing.