yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Molly!!! welcome to the wonderful world of bike commuting!! the streets can be a little hairy at first, I ride to work every morning down a very busy street with a bike lane but that doesn't mean they know I'm there. Just keep on eye on the cars front tire when you come to an intersection - it'll always tell you what the cars gonna do even if the driver can't. and like everything else - it will get better, no less cautious but less white knuckle! I had to smile at your pack being overpacked - I started out the same way until I learned what I could pare down, what I could fit in rack packs and what I could carry. Now my biggest fear is I'll forget something (like the other day when I forgot to pack lighter weight socks for work lol) and have to figure out how to make do with my bikie stuff! lol

and tnx Snow - but there are days as I walk my bike out past my truck that I think "why the heck am I even Doing this?? I have a Perfectly good vehicle sitting right here, nice, warm, enclosed, more than willing to drive me there"! I haven't given in to that - yet but some of those winter mornings I had to wonder whos bright idea THIS was?? lol