I ride from my home near Ferguson all the way to Olivette. Taking mostly neighborhood and alterial roads. Sometimes I take the Metrolink when the weather is too bad. I ride a few miles to the station and then take it to Delmar. I then ride a few miles to my work location.
I started bike commuting in Sept/Oct. of 2003. I went to a basic commuting class. Read the book "Street Smarts". I then started looking at maps and had my route picked out. Had my wife drive behind me on a weekend ride on the route. It worked out fine. My first few times I only went one way to work and them my wife would pick me and the bike up. Now I am able to go both ways. I feel I have had a successfull week when I am able to commute 5 days. I am working up to being a year-round... commuter. Been adding stuff on my bike and getting the right equipment. I look forward to when I am totally able to go all the time! :0)
On my ride near our city airport I have many morning seen hawks. I am able to see them even better and closer because I am not in a car going 40mph. On my recent rides I have noticed sneekers hanging from eletric (utility) wires. Weird. One crazy story I remember is when a junky looking truck drove by me and yelled "You ain't poor...get off the road!" Like only poor people are able to ride bikes. Oh well!