The last two weeks have been a series of really welcome changes in my life and here in the city. The weather finally turned, the humidity ebbed, and the sun came back out full force. Finally, after such a long time of not doing so I felt comfortable commuting by bike into work.
For some this may not seem like a big deal, I mean come on, I’ve been here a year and I’m just biking to work now?
To those naysayers I say with only one thing:
Have you had any personal experience with my sense of direction?
Seriously.
Go back and read my early posts discussing my immediate attachment to my iPhone and my trials and tribulations simply walking around the city.
To summarize, there was blood and sweat and tears. Literally. There are scars, I can show you.
Anyway, I needed to be really comfortable with both Brooklyn and the city (including the maze that is Chinatown) before I felt ready to arrive safely and on time to a job that’s because an increasingly enjoyable part of who I am.
Cycling also introduces the “how to bring along work clothes” element and the “how to manage/avoid being too sweaty to work” issue.
With the help of some great suggestions from fellow commuters, I’ve managed to figure out effective methods of dealing with these potential problems. I leave underclothes at work, along with a pair of nice shoes and a skirt. I tote alone a clean blouse and a couple of wet naps. As my dear friend Wendy noted, if the temperature in the morning doesn’t exceed 70 and you ride at at relatively calm pace it’s doable. The helmet head is not ideal, but it’s a small price to pay.
Plus – it is so much freaking fun.
Biking across the bridges (Manhattan in and Brooklyn out, generally) is magnificent. Seeing the city every day from above and coasting down into it with the wind in my face and the sun on my shoulders is such a stark contrast to the doldrums of sitting in the chilly dark train after waiting on the infernally hot platforms. It boggles the mind.
I walk into work with a huge smile and it makes each and every day a little better. I look forward to getting up and gearing up and the ride home almost always involves a detour with pictures and some kind of an adventure. It’s also not a bad way to get a little exercise in.
My lease is up in just 3 months and I’ve been looking all over for possibilities, which now, because I’m in a better place and because I really know the neighborhoods involves a ton of options.
A better place to live, a beautiful kitchen, continued bike rides, many wonderful friends. Life after a year is not too shabby at all.
My Surly awaits.
