Hi, my name is Tom and I'm a bicycle commuter...

Today was my first ride from my apartment to my office (Downtown Jacksonville, NC to Camp Lejeune, NC).

I'm lucky in that the entire way is a fitness trail. The traffic 'round these parts is pretty darned scary.

It's just more than 7 miles and it took just at an hour (I enjoy a leisurely pace!)

I'm so glad that the City spent a little bit of money for the Rails-to-Trails project. It's definitely better (safer, less stressful) to ride the paths than on the streets with 43,000 Marines that have nothing better to do than curse, yell, honk, or throw stuff at cyclsts (been the recipient of all that before!).

The weather was a bit chilly for me. Even though I had a long sleeve shirt over a t-shirt, and shorts (I can't ride in pants. Makes me crazy) I was a bit more cool than I prefer. Of course, a hot shower at my office made that all better!

It's the bike from now on, baby!