On Friday, I made the majority of my commute on my bike. At about 5:30 I parked at Toco Hills shopping center and biked the remaining 9 miles down North Druid Hills to E. Roxboro to Wieuca to Roswell (yikes). I went into my office and stretched then showered and changed into my work attire and ate the breakfast I'd left for myself the day before. Then, the day drew to an end and I took my extended route home (beautiful, though historic Brookhaven...hilly). When I got back to Toco Hills my car was waiting patiently, safe and sound. I put my bike back on the rack, fired up the car and stuck my face in front of a vent with the AC on full power for a few minutes. Then I sat in the seat for a couple seconds trying to get my brain to switch from "biking" to "driving". They're very different.
I felt fantastic. First, I reached a long-standing goal. Second, I was all charged up from the physical activity. My legs felt alright, too. Joy had picked up the girls, so I went straight home, changed out of my sweaty clothes and headed over to see my wee ones. Steve and Joy were on their front porch with our friends, their next door neighbors, Brendan and Kore, while the kids played on their bikes on the sidewalk. The kids greeted me excitedly and Joy greeted me with an ice cold cocktail. How outstanding an afternoon is that?
Most of my route home is gorgeous and free of traffic. The route I've worked out now keeps me on N. Druid Hills for entirely too long, though. That road is all traffic in the afternoon and there's nowhere for a bike to go. Usually I insert myself in traffic, where bikes belong, but in that kind of traffic, on a road where there's no shoulder, the sidewalk is the only real option. I'm already reviewing the maps to figure out how to avoid more of N. Druid in the afternoon. I'm prepared to add another mile if I have to. That would still only make my ride back 11 miles, which isn't bad on a bike. I'm hoping to bike to work next Wednesday, so - back to the maps with me now.
7 comments:
Congratulations, Lisa! Great job reaching that goal. You're probably going to miss doing that ride in the Winter.
Actuuuuuuallly, I have all the goods to ride in the cold. The only thing not working for me is the gloves and MAN it hurts to try to ride your bike in the cold without wind-breaking, warm gloves. That's curable though...so I might just go for it.
You are my hero, you might even be the wind beneath my wings.
My word is gyrobles so I don't think Blogger is making any judgments about our use of time..
still so happy you reached such an adventurous goal!!! fun!
my word was ortism....no comment
Why thank-you Sheep, what a kind thing to say!
I'm hoping I can make a habit of this and start challenging my co-workers, Sister K, we'll see how that goes.
I didn't like the route I'd plotted out over the weekend when I drove it yesterday, so I had to hit the maps again last night. Soon, I will know this city better than the cabbies.
You may want to invest in one of the little Christmas trees to hang from your rear view mirror!
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