Quote Originally Posted by hebe View Post
Most definitely! Are you and the bike both ok?
Yes, thank you. My new Brooks saddle has a scuff mark on the edge, but I'm calling that "character."

It was a classic newbie move, and I hadn't even made it out of my neighborhood yet. I was coming to the edge of my street where there is a diner. I could tell some lady was going to back out without seeing me, and I slowed down, and got so obsessed with watching her, I didn't even notice I'd come to a stop and just flopped over. Of course, a couple diners came out to see if I was okay, but the lady, who did back out, didn't even notice I'd fallen behind her.

I went on to a beautiful 20-mile ride down A1A (any South Floridians here?) by the ocean. It was my first time pedaling out that way, though I live only one mile away. I was expecting to see a lot of cyclists, and I did as they were all passing me What surprised me, though, was how rude the joggers were and how many: they tended to jog in pairs in the bike lane against the traffic, and wouldn't split up into a singles when I was nearing them, forcing me into the traffic. Since there is only one lane going each direction, I'm just glad it was early in the morning and not too much traffic.

Tomorrow is my first commute by bike (8 miles each way). I go in early enough to not have to contend with traffic, but coming home is a different story. Although there is a bike lane on one main road I'll be on, it stops abruptly in the busiest section of town and becomes a lane for parked cars. There really isn't a safe road going East to West, and I will have to ride a sidewalk (wide, thank goodness) on the last two miles going in. Keeping fingers crossed. I've got my lights and day glo vest. Since I got my first fall out of the way, I'm thinking I'm ready!