My commute today was just fine, thank you! It's been a long time coming, as this is the first time back commuting since my bicycle accident which landed me semi-conscious in the hospital. I've been riding my bike, but not commuting, until today. I've scouted out a new route, one which conveniently uses bike paths to go around the high traffic area where I had my "accident." I say that, as I don't quite remember what happened (for those of you who weren't following the "Mirrors" thread, two witnesses said I "lost control" of my bike, and one said I swerved to miss a car).

The commute itself was anticlimactic--I've done it on weekends at least a few times already, but it's amazing how much less pressure you feel when there are few or no cars to deal with. It's not a long commute to work, just 3.7 miles. But with air pollution advisories being posted, it was time to get out of the car (wife's anxiety for the commute was one of the big holdups).

The route I now take uses a very little known bike path, so unknown in fact that it's partially grown over with weeds. But it's there, and I'm using it. I've also contacted the City folks to see who maintains the path, and see whether some clearing can be done. But, on a very nice, sunny and fairly hot day, it was good to be back on my bike.

The commuting bike I use doesn't look at all the same as it did before the accident. It's a ten-speed Schwinn LeTour, which I've been building on for years, and it has "morphed" again. More on that later, probably in a different string. I've had to re-look, and re-think, my whole commuting strategy to get to today, and it feels great. I also gave blood today, so the commute home was nice and easy.

John