Just had my first commute home on my new and first folding bike. One rail to the shop, a ride, a bus, more rail ended with another bike ride. I would have liked to have rode, instead of the one bus part, but I definitely was not up to a 1.5 hour bike ride and I didn't have everything I needed to face the Dumbarton Bridge risks. So far, I'm glad I have a functioning bike again.
Considering my normal commute will be much simpler and involve more riding and the last stretch on the bike is my normal commute, it was encouraging. The engine, aka me, will get better. I'll get better at folding and unfolding my bike, especially the folding part needs work. I finally got to feel how bad the roads are around here. I was happy to see what were either new dotted lines on the recently paved road, including a funky precursor to the cycle image. Was happy when I saw no bus, to just hop on the bike and go. Wanted to kick myself for not having bought just any ole light, for safety. Or had bought the kind of expensive, but very cool lights, when I was browsing the other day. Used the 2nd velcro to dangle my one LED, but not right. If I'd had ducktape, I'd have had two makeshift lights pointed the right ways, oh well.
My not really being a driver, in spite of my license, resulted in being in right hand turn lanes, a couple times, when I needed to not be, since I was going forward. I don't want to do that again.
Overall a positive experience, even if it wasn't the best of days for me to get up to all that for a few other reasons. When I was actually doing it, the scariness of the big bad road, wasn't really scary, which worries me. I don't want to be "lucky". I didn't have any close calls and the longer that goes on the better.
I got to do something about my bag, though. My maxpedition bag kept shifting more to my side, instead of the right spot on my back. I really don't like the extra strap to secure it; it isn't very friendly to ladies. I should be able to secure it to my rack, while I work out road map for necessities, accessories and upgrades. I've never had a rack before, so that'll be an adjustment.
It all went so fast, it didn't feel like my adventures of the evening were 4.5 hours of my day.