Bike Commuting - Week 1 Adjustment

So, it's only my 2nd day without a car, but so far things are going really well.  I think I'm really going to like the new lifestyle, even if it's only through the end of the year.  Here's a quick snapshot of the week:

Tuesday we dropped off the VW at Car Max, and left $11k of debt there with it.  I have to admit I was pretty nervous when we left the dealership.  I was having some doubts...why hadn't I tried commuting for a week or so before just jumping right in?  I guess that's just how I roll.

Wednesday was my first day to commute to work.  That's not exactly true, I guess.  In the 3.5 years that I've lived a short 2 miles from the office, I've probably ridden here about 6 times.  So, I knew which route to take and how long it would take to get there...or so I thought.  I started off on my normal route that would take me on a trail under Barton Springs road, then through Zilker.  Under the bridge I ran into my first road block.  There was a huge tree branch that had fallen into the sidewalk, and because there were railings in this particular area, I couldn't go around...so I had to backtrack up a hill and reroute myself in the dark.  From there, it was smooth sailing, and my first day as a bike commuter was a success!  My bike rested happily in my office until it was time to pedal home.

Thursday brought about another interesting morning.  About 5 minutes into my morning ride, I rode through a huge swarm of gnats and got more than an eyeful, which led to a few seconds of blindness.  I think some clear riding glasses may be in order!  Shortly after, I came head on with a lady who was walking multiple dogs.  I ride on a sidewalk through the park for some of my route, and this lady was definitely irritated that she had to take 2 seconds to step her dogs off the sidewalk so I could pass.  I received an irritated eye-roll as I went by.  Oh well!  When I arrived to work, I realized that I forgot to pack my purse, so I didn't have the access key to get into the gym to shower and dress for work.  I stood in the hallway for about 10 minutes, waiting for a coworker to arrive so someone could let me in.  Then, the smell of bacon reminded me that there were a few employees who came in early to cook for our United Way benefit, so I was able to secure a badge from one of them!  Luckily, I have several lunches saved in the work fridge, so the fact that I don't have my wallet wasn't a big deal.  Thursday night we hit up TNSR for some social cycling.  We had a blast riding through the hills until a girl crashed her bike while going downhill over a speed bump.  We found out later that she suffered a broken jaw, concussion, cracked ribs, and major road rash.  Medics said that she would have probably died if it weren't for her helmet.  Luckily, she's on her way to recovery.  This gave everyone quite a scare...we'll be riding with helmets from now on.

Friday, I didn't have to go into work, so I skipped the morning commute.  I did have a 10:00 hair appointment about 5.5 miles away from home.  I debated riding my bike or taking a Car2Go, but in the end opted for the Car2Go adventure. My legs needed a break from the hilly ride the night before, and I was still a bit hung over from too many vodka and vitamin waters.  The Car2Go experience was super fun!  I had downloaded this new app that shows where the closest available car is located. I just clicked a couple buttons, and used the directions on my phone to walk a few short blocks to the closest car.  So easy! Plus, the car is just so cute:

Week 1 living the bike commuter lifestyle = success!