Ode to my bike

So I'm typing this post with one hand today because I wiped out on my bike yesterday. I probably sprained my left pinky finger. I'm not bitter at myself or my beloved bike. Rather, here is a top 5 list of the greatest commute I've ever had. I love my daily ride so much that it easily could have been a top 10 or top 20, but pecking away at a keyboard with one hand is no fun.

5. Not waiting for public transportation. Don't get me wrong. One of my major requirements in life is to reside in a city with a good train system. A common transportation system provides a sense of unity and belonging, not to mention convenience. But at the same time, when I'm on my bike I'm gone as soon as I want to get going.

4. Smoking the competition. The athlete in me is reborn since I've been biking daily. In the summer, Chicago streets are filled with cyclists. But not one of them is as hardcore as me. Or at least that's the game I play with myself on the way to work. I love nothing more than to pass someone while going up a steep hill, and then watching them try to catch up while pretending not to care. Heh.

3. Cars are dumb. And expensive. And dangerous. Sure, my bike and I both were slightly banged up when I fell, but imagine if I had gotten in a wreck while driving. Plus, I paid a one time fee of $50 a year ago for unlimited usage. Since I got rid of my soul-sucking commute to the soul-sucking suburbs, I no longer have to budget a quarter of my total income for gas. Now I budget $0!

2. I feel great! Speaking of the bane of my existence last year, biking is helping me shed my "commuter weight." During the year and a half that I was a full-time reporter, my derriere certainly adapted to its environment. An hour to two hour commute coupled with nine to 10 hours behind a desk every day really did a number on my psyche and physique. Driving left me feeling frustrated and fat. Biking clears my head and builds muscle. Go figure.

1. Just look at her. Isn't she lovely? Older than I am and still a sweet ride.