I ride approx. one mile on a designated bike route, about .5 mile over a private road and over/around 2 fences and a small field and then connect up with a pretty good bikepath the rest of the way- when it is not covered with snow and ice!!
Everyone thinks i am INSANE! Erie is definitely a beer and bowling town. People just don't do things like this. People constantly ask how i do it, and WHY i do it. I have taken jobs specifically tailored to my biking preference. (gotta have a shower, or at least a locker room and somewhere indoors for me to lock up my buddy bike.)
The best one so far is when this woman hit me after she ran a stop sign. I rolled over her hood. My wonderful bike scratched the hell out of her wheel well. I am proud to say i made a few super dents with my head and shoulder. Odd thing, though - I felt fine and my bike didn't have one scratch on it. I rode home, i think, less shaken up than she was. Of course, I realize i have now officially used up one of my nine lives.
Thank you so much for this site. I don't feel so alone now...ahhhh....