I left my van at home today and rode my bike to work and back. That's about a 50km round trip and it felt good.
Good things about riding a bicycle rather than driving.
- I have much more time to think about what I'm going to post on my weblog
- I have more time to notice things like how colourful the city is looking with all the autumn colours right now.
- Other people (cyclists and pedestrians) will often make eye contact, and even smile or say hello as our paths cross (a bit unnerving at first but I soon got used to it.)
- I postponed having to fill the van with diesel for another 24 hours.
- Stopping to take photos is much easier when biking.
- Parking is a breeze.
- I have time to think about things. The kind of things I would otherwise not have time to ponder. Like what would it look like if I was asked to design a light rail system for Nelson city (not that anyone would ask me that, but it doesn't hurt to wonder).
- My legs get a workout (something kite buggying and kayaking don't do).
- I will sleep well tonight
Not so good things about about riding a bicycle rather than driving.
- High speed SUV wing-mirrors whizzing by my head on narrow roads.
- Breathing exhaust fumes.
- Don't tell anyone in the kite club I said this but... sometimes, just occasionally, wind is a bad thing.
- I can't carry all my kite gear around with me on a bike (one small stunt kite max)
- I can't stop to photograph the sunset, because I have no light on my bike so must be home by dark (although I do have more time to appreciate the prelude.)
- I noticed that once you get out of the city to where I live (you know, where the footpaths end and there are no street lights), the bridges allow zero room for cyclists. I guess we are not expected to ride that far.
- My butt hurts
I will be trying to ride at least once or twice a week in an effort to do something practical about peak oil. Combining that with actually staying in town overnight in the campervan once a week and I could almost half the amount of driving I do. Its a start...
6:34:09 PM 
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