Commuter

[jillithian]

I've been trying to bike commute at least once a week starting the beginning of April and I've kept up with it. This is awesome in many ways. I feel happier during the day. I can give myself a pass on the daily "not exercising enough" self-loathing I'm apt to do.

Today was especially lovely on the way home. I'm lucky in that I have only a 4 mile commute and I get to pick which side of the Mississippi River I'm going to bike on. The bike route through Sauk Rapids goes along the east side of the river through their municipal park. It's wooded in many areas which is especially nice on hot, sunny bike commutes home.

The last two weeks I decided to take a different route TO work, going along the west bank of the river, around the edge of a roundabout and crossing a highway. Fewer hills and slightly shorter ride. I haven't gotten brave enough to come home that way yet. The bike path is only on one side of the street and, as the street has a roundabout (very new concept in MN) and goes past the new Walmart (doesn't mix well), I am wary of trying it. I've seen plenty of bicyclists go that way but have yet to see them go through thy questionable patch. Maybe one day.

I have aspirations of taking the Northstar Rail down to Minneapolis with my bicycle and riding around all the trails and paths there. I like to take Tim with me, but he is not quite so avid. I think it sounds more like work to him than fun.

Tim got me two large "market" panniers for my birthday which work AWESOME for commuting to work and for grocery shopping. I'm thinking of going beer shopping with them later tonight. Trying to use my bike for more of my shorter trips, if I can.

Yup. My bike works pretty awesome so far. I really like it and am glad I bought it. My coworker told me he made his 1,000th bike commute this week and got his 600th mile in so far this year. Something to aspire to.

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