Tonight Mrs Norris (what I call my lovely new bike) and I went out for a spin. We hit the open road and ventured out amongst the cars. I used all of your advice and stayed in the road and traffic flowed pretty smoothly around me. The area I was riding didn't have a bike lane or even a paved shoulder so I basically had to stay in the road with the cars.

The more I ride the more I fall madly in love with this sport. Tonight riding I was amazed at how much of life we miss when traveling to and fro in a car. I love the smells you encounter. Passing homes I could smell various meals cooking, someone was having a cookout and I smelled fabric softner from dryers full of clothes. I caught whiffs of honeysuckle and magnolia trees, fresh pine when I zipped through a batch of trees near a local park. I encountered various wildlife. A half dozen or so squirrels scurrying up trees as I passed by, a rabbit who wanted to run me off the road and one maniacal chihuahua who once again chased me for half a block along with a very fat squatty dog who took off away from it's human companion to "race" me up the street and a squashed snake.

I am a bit of an amateur photographer (feel free to check out my photoblog at http://www.emotionaltoaster.net...I am always looking for constructive feedback). I need to start taking my camera with me on my rides. The things you see just blow you away. On my early morning rides I have seen misty sunrises over crisp green cornfields, brilliant colored morning glories stretching to greet the day and amazing cloud formations. And I never can capture the moment because the camera sits home. I think I need to find a handy, lightweight carrying case that I can strap it on my back so I never miss these things again.