Mimi, wonderful article! This almost made me cry: "Best of all, I got my city back." That's the best thing about cycling is that it humanizes the city. I have all sorts of stories and vignettes from my days commuting in DC--people I encountered, wonderful sights that one misses from a car, even inspiring complete strangers to ride bikes.

Thank you for sharing your story. I have no doubt that it will inspire someone to start riding.