Couple weeks ago, I got a bike for Father’s Day. Nothing super duper fancy (why spend more on a bike than on my last car?), but I like it. It’s shiny and new and it comfortably goes where I tell it to. And it takes me with it. I’ve taken it out for a couple little rides and, after making some minor height adjustments, it kicks of the ass.
My original plan was to start riding the bike to the train station a couple miles from my home then take the light-rail in from there like I currently do. Just replacing the car part of my daily trek with a bike commute, essentially. In fact, with rush hour traffic, it only takes me about 5-10 more minutes to bike that part than it takes to drive.
Eventually, I thought I might start riding, occasionally, all the way into the office (about 10 miles each way). Figured if I got into some shape (other than my current round one), it might not be a bad way to start the day. And since there’s all sorts of upcoming train construction, including some closures of a bridge later this summer that will completely FUBAR the light-rail, I’ve got a little motivation.
And if that wasn’t enough to convince me to start avoiding the train at all costs, this definitely pushed me over the edge:
Of course, the camera phone doesn’t do it justice. For instance, you don’t see all the hair… Oh, so much hair…
And the backne.
I suppose I should thank you, Mr. FatHairyButtCrackBackneMan. Thanks to you, I’ll be on the bike starting Monday.
