I had a spooky commute home Friday night.

I got off work an hour early, at 10:30 PM. It was the first warm Friday night, so the street corner crack dealers were out in force on the first part of my commute. A group of them laughed as I rode by within three feet of them. I don't know if they were laughing at me.

I ride by the state capitol, but tonight it was surrounded by a jagged chain link fence, security for a Nazi rally on Saturday. I had to ride through several checkpoints. I wasn't stopped, but there were cops sitting in cars watching me.

Then came the nightclub district. Double parkers and tipsy cagers were hogging the street there. Three young girls in a car yelled something at me, then pulled into an alley and turned back around, like they were waiting for me to ride by. I pulled over where some bar patrons were talking on cell phones and waited for the girls to drive away.

I had planned on a long night-ride, but I was so freaked out by everything that I was relieved to just go home. I think my imagination is too strong. I just kept thinking about the menace and corruption in our society...crime...drugs...alcohol...cars...race...sex....

Riding in the city ain't as risky as carrying your bike across the Mississippi River, but it does have its moments.