what I saw on my commute

(I couldn't resist.)

my morning commute

I left work a little later than normal this morning and was able to enjoy the fog that I normally ride through in darkness.

And this is what I had for lunch: Bachelor Meal #17 (a holdover from the actual bachelor days) - tofu, peas, and rice. I made a big batch of it when Adria went to work for a couple of days. We were talking on the phone one evening and she asked what I had for dinner. I told her "peas, tofu, and rice." She asked, "Well, did you at least use brown rice?" "Nope", I said. White rice is what makes it a Bachelor Meal.

We all need to be on bikes more

(My commute home, two miles from home.)

I haven't been doing the full-boogie bike commute to and from work lately.

It's been really rainy.

It's been really cold.

I can't figure out how to make my disc brakes stop squealing.

Lots of great excuses.

Instead of doing the full-boogie commute, I've been driving my truck or taking the bus from Felton down to Santa Cruz and then riding the last four miles to work. But not this morning.

This morning I pulled a bike from the wall and climbed on it and rolled down the hill in the 44 degree, dark morning air. And it felt great, even with squeal-y brakes.

I know what I get for riding my bike to work - I get near boundless energy, mental and physical. I get better focus. I get better interactions with people. I get a feeling of independence. I get calmness.

I think that the world would be a better place if we all rode bikes a little more. That really struck me on my way home from work today. The route I took home put me in downtown Santa Cruz, and at one stoplight I was behind two other guys on bikes. They were just plain guys like me - wearing street clothes and carrying their stuff. At the light, one of them turned around and was kind of surprised to see me there. I said "hi" and looked him in the eye. He said "hey" and looked back ahead. Then he turned back around and said "hi" like he really meant it. The light turned green and we all went our separate ways. It may sound weird, but there was a connection there that we don't get when we drive cars. And I think that's what we need more of in this world - a connection, even brief, with the people we share our world with. That connection just isn't possible when we wrap two tons of steel and glass around ourselves.

On another note: It's the rainy season in California. I took some pictures today around the office of all my cold and wet weather bike crap tossed around the office to air it out. The requirements are not many - so long as it allows maximum airflow.

For example, my tights strung over a rod in the bathroom.

My gloves resting on the entry table (they weren't wet).

My Icebreaker top draped over my top tube.

Another Icebreaker hanging off a mirror in my office.

And this is totally not related, but I found it interesting, in a Mr. Rogers sort of way. Every day, the last thing I do before leaving work is to move the little slider on my calender to the following day. So it's all set up for me tomorrow when I come in. Systems.