The perfect commute: Lock the door. Coast down the hill and pedal another 30 seconds to the train station on the beach. Punch my ticket and enjoy crashing waves, palm trees and a brisk 40 degree morning while I look south to the pier to see if I can spot the train moving between the water and the cliffs. Hop on the train, strap in my bike and read for 25 minutes.

The ride: Left out of the train station onto nice wide streets. Bike lanes so fat you could fit three across all the way to the office. Maybe a 1-3% grade change on the 4 mile route. No potholes and only the occasional road debris. The same route home has two big left turns (but with dual left turn lanes) and some challenging on-ramp traffic trying to move right to left across my front, but the motorists are very responsive if you're assertive with your hand signals and making your intentions clear. The best part--no need for lights until daylight savings again...and probably no substantial rain until fall either.

Cheers!
Steve