New bike route

[pegkerr]

naomikritzer mentioned awhile ago that instead of taking the Park/Portland bike route, I should investigate the route that runs along the light rail line, on Hiawatha Avenue. I tried it, when I got back on the bike after surgery. I'm sold. I'm actually on the street for only about 1/3 of the route, and it's much less busy. The rest of the time, I'm on a designated bike path. And best of all, if the bike ever breaks down, which has always been a worry of mine, the rail is right there to rescue me. It's about the same distance as my former route but much more pleasant, and it's a faster ride because I have to deal with fewer traffic lights.

I've resorted to taking the bike on the rail several times in the past couple of weeks. Sometimes it's because I'm running a little late in the morning (I've been staying up too late to read), sometimes because I'm in a hurry to get home to get to karate. And sometimes it's the weather. I bailed and took the rail yesterday morning because it was so hot and humid that my shirt was wringing wet after a mile. I like the flexibility.

Yesterday was my first experience biking in a torrential downpour. I was prepared enough to have a garbage bag in my bag to wrap my purse in, and a neon-orange rain slicker. The big adjustment is that you have to give yourself about three times the usual distance for braking. I did not melt before I got home.

My stamina is getting a little closer to what it was before the surgery, but I'm still not quite there yet.