I've been at my new job in the much smaller town (pop 17,000) of Kirksville, MO for two weeks now. I've commuted every day, it's only 2 miles each way. Most days I go home for lunch, so I get at least 8 miles in. The first week was just plain lonely and exhausting, because my husband and daughter were living in a hotel back in Columbia until her last day of school. Since then it's been a lot nicer. I worry about them because I'm at work meeting people, and they are stuck at home without internet. (That's a long story, we are just on the other side of the city limit sign but the problem seems to be that the house is too far back from the road, and we are having a heck of a time figuring out what we're going to do for internet. Living without is not an option since my husband just graduated with a degree in computer science!)

The commute itself is nice and easy. It's a lot more flat in town than Columbia is. There are some hills in this area, but I think the loess hills are further west.

There is a bike path, the Wabash railroad used to go through town. Missouri has mostly lost the rights to the railroad line but Kirksville has converted 3/4 mile of it into a bike path. I can see where the railroad bed extends. In fact it goes behind our house just a few feet. Forty years ago that would NOT have been a good place to build a house! (The house is only 7 years old.)

I don't really need the bike path, because it's a small town and traffic is light. There is only one street I would be reluctant to bike on--the highway as it passes through town. To get to work I don't even have to cross the highway, but to go anywhere else, it's difficult without using the highway. But it is such a small town I'm sure I'll learn the tricks soon enough.

Pictures of my commute are here, and I'll attempt to link them into the message...