Biking to work has several advantages over driving a car. Perhaps the most profound is the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction I have when I get to work. When I arrive in my car, I'm tense from battling traffic and stiff from flying around town in a recliner.
I also get a better connection to the environment I'm in. Wednesday last week, I participated in this turtle rescue operation:
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| This guy was crossing Crabtree Valley Avenue heading out of Crabtree Creek about 730 in the morning |
The two women in the shot were waving down traffic to keep their turtle charge unsmushed. It's sickening how little regard some motorists show for the creatures that share our space. My own humble contribution to the operation was to act as watch-out for cars.
This morning, I had the pleasure of biking in the rain. Here's the radar from around my arrival time:
Why do people get so worked up about biking in the rain? My coworkers this morning asked me if I was crazy. If they mean, "do you use a 2 ton metal machine overpowered by 1500% that wrecks your health, finances and the environment to get to work?" - no. If they mean, "did you know you would get wet on the way in?" -yes
I find riding in the rain to be a pleasant experience. The white noise of the rainfall provides a soothing backdrop that at once connects you to the environment and cocoons you in an isolated bubble. The raindrops are like cool kisses on the climbs and sharp bites on the descents. Arrive at work refreshed and clean. The only real downside is figuring out where to store your gear without getting your office area soggy. My laptop even rode safe and dry in my trusty Ortlieb panniers.
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| not so bad |
So I'm off to a good start this week. I even get to skip the car on Thursday! Independence Day! Independent of those pesky English, and for me, the car.
