if you aren’t up with the latest buzz in the biking world, may is bike to work month across the country. today is the primary “bike to work” day and while running some errands this morning it was definitely nice to see tons of more bike commuters heading into work…trading their exhaust expelling cars in for their more friendly bicycles. i have been wanting to pick up a relatively inexpensive hybrid bike for riding here in the city since a mountain bike is not as efficient (and bike theft is high here… so i don’t want a $2+K bike nor its parts stolen!). it’s awesome how bike heavy seattle is on a normal basis, tons of people using them for primary city transportation and the city has developed an expansive network of bike trails winding through not only the immediate seattle areas, but reaching out to neighboring suburbs as well.
although riding in the city replaces the pleasures of mountain biking (i.e. the hum of knobbies , nature and the sounds of birds along the trails) with the angry buzz of automobiles (most drivers hate sharing the road with cyclists) and the fumes of exhaust, you still get that enlivening feeling knowing that you are benefiting the whole (society… our planet) rather than selfishly looking out for only yourself. a day in the saddle is much better by far than a day behind the steering wheel! oh, and have i mentioned i love it here yet?