Another foggy ride

Another cyclist was killed a week ago Sunday.  He was riding along, minding his own business, doing everything right, and a reckless, racing driver took his life.  It could have been me.

So why am I so adamant about riding my bike to work?  Because I can?  Because it makes me feel good, physically?  Because I feel superior and smug to all those lost sheep behind the wheels of their gas guzzling automobiles?

I'm ashamed but truthful in admitting that I do feel somewhat righteous about my bike commute.  There are so many positive aspects:


1) Exercise...I get an hour of sprint intervals in a day.  16.5 miles alternating easy and hard efforts

2) I don't have to deal with  the horrible traffic leaving the building in the afternoon.  I can glide right to the front of the line with my bike.

3) I'm saving wear and tear on my car. And saving $ on gas consumption.

4) Since the building is getting so crowded and people are having to park outside of the garage, I'm easing the parking burden by not bringing a car.

But this morning had me rethinking.  It was foggy outside, more dense than last week.  Every time I stopped I had to wipe off my glasses, and I didn't have the proper tools (ie cotton cloth) in which to wipe my glasses.  Most of the ride I pushed them down to the end of my nose and peered over them.  I couldn't see well (all is fuzzy with no glasses) but it was better than looking through lenses that were totally wet and soaked and spotted.

The fog was so dense (I was thinking London Pea Soup) that I couldn't see cars approaching me until they were almost on top of me.  If I couldn't see them, then they surely couldn't see me.  I kept that caveat in mind as I rode to work in the thick fog.  The danger was real, but it was still cool.  To quote Van Morrison, I felt like I was going 'Into The Mystic.'  When I turned off BBD on the detour, it was right after dawn.  A bit more light was creeping in.  A deer crossed the street right in front of me; ran from one patch of the woods to another.  Amazing to think that they're still there, coexisting with so many humans.

Awesome morning going in, very relaxed ride coming home. 

This part of life is good.