I have enjoyed the luxury of working very near home or from my in-home office for the past two years. A nice break from the previous five years in a row attacking The Grid in post-Katrina New Orleans. Thankfully my "9-5" schedule is more flexible this time, allowing me to ride at off-peak hours if I choose. Also, a few hateful roads have been resurfaced and, yes, bike lanes added - or at least sharrows when space did not permit a striped lane. I am no huge fan of bike lanes, and sharrows pretty much state the obvious (to me) that I have some right to cycle on roadways by law. But recently I have softened a bit because the attitude of many local motorists is slowly changing. The simple image of a "stick-bike" under two chevrons in the center of many roads has somehow educated motorists that I am not legally bound to the sidewalk. So my ride may be more like fun and less like war, except for texting motorists of course.

OK, before the mods move this post to A&S, I really came here to announce that once again, starting tomorrow (June 11), I shall be joining your ranks as a daily commuter. I will enjoy reading everyone's tales of wind-through-the-hair (or helmet vents) independence, as well as those inevitable white-knuckled tales of Ninja-Salmon, distracted motorists, and other Fredalicious observations from over the handlebars. Of course, I will be dumping my tales of terror on you kind folks as well as any gems of wisdom accumulated since I gave up the car in 1989 for good.

It's good to be back here! And of course, cycling (and giggling) along in all of those roadway spaces not utilized by the shiny boxes.



Cheers!

Joey