Well, that was a lot less fun than it could have been. I learned a few things: pants that are long enough to drag the ground and wick water when walking will also suck on a bike, always switch to the better grippier pedals if I'm going to ride with wet shoes, people allegedly hurrying home to be with their families drive like jerks, the folks in this neighborhood hate cyclists, despite how many cyclists- by choice or otherwise- live here so there is no bike lane and there are 4" curbs blocking the cut-outs and it's very difficult to ride here.

None of that is surprising. What is surprising is that after I had reluctantly moved to the sidewalk to avoid the leaf-clogged and flooded intersections, someone yelled "Stupid b*tch" at me out of their open car window. I was more confused than anything and looked around while mentally doing the DeNiro "You talking to me?" They must have been talking to me because... I was the only one there. Then I remained confused because a) I was traveling in the opposite direction from them and b) I was on the sidewalk so in neither case was I impeding their progress. It was still light out and I had a tail-light on the bike so what gives? I'm going to consider this cycling related harassment because I've led a charmed life up to now and no one has ever done that to me before. It didn't hurt my feelings because I know I'm not one and they obviously have some issues they need to work through. If anything, it made me determined to get bigger lights and become VC even more often just in case people think I'm too ignorant to know bikes belong on the street. Poor Lester.