Installment #1

So, what is "installment #1?"

Instead of posting about things of today, these will be more of an ongoing story about me and bikes thru the years. Check back often, to continue the saga!!!

I currently commute by bike to work to Olde Towne Fenton Cyclery. Ok, so it's a measly 5 miles round trip, but at least I'm not burning fossil fuels to do it. I have commuted for many, many years off and on. Here are some of the ones I remember. My first job was at Trails West Bowl, in Ballwin. I used to ride my bike there most days, at least until I became 16 and could drive in. Even then, I'd ride in several times a month. When I worked at Watlow Electrical Mfg. Co., in Maryland Heights, I'd often ride in on Saturdays for overtime. I'd do this from my parents house, when I was still there and later from the townhouse in Marlborough. It was about an hour each way, if I remember. I did it on my trusty old Trek, before I converted it into a fixed gear. Actually, I may have rode it in as a fixed too. When I was at the Touring Cyclist in South County, I rode in every day, rain, snow, heat, whatever from our house in Lemay. I loved riding the Grant Trail at night and often turned off my headlight, to take it all in. On second thought, not everyday. On Tuesdays, I drove in, so I could head out to Gateway Raceway for the Tuesday Night Worlds. At Big Shark, I always rode in on Sundays, and when full time, also on the days I worked the day shift. I did this at both BS locations I worked at, which I had totally different routes to get to. I think the route I had to the "new" location was my perfered route, thru the Hill and Forrest Park. At G_______, I rode in a few times, mostly, when Amy was off work on maternity leave. Riding thur the 141 gauntlet in Valley Park at rush hour is not for the nervous and I did it a lot. By the way, since the TC commute, all of the commutes have been on fixed gear bikes.

Instead of our current government's cash for klunkers program, I'd rather see the money going to promote bikes as transportation. Think of all of the bikes that could be given out to people to ride! THAT would be change I could believe in.