Hildegaard and me.

Today I biked and it was fantastic. Like seeing an old friend, the only who really knows how to work my glutes.

I've driven absolutely everywhere for six months, which considerably weakens my case for being a superior human. Weather-wise, I could have started the biking routine a couple weeks ago. Now I have absolutely no excuse.

"Reasons" I have recently employed to avoid biking to work include:

• The South Hill, which I have to bike up at the end of the day. This is not the sort of thing I like to do.
• After-work activities. I like biking up the South Hill even less at 9pm, after yoga or soccer, than I do at 6:30pm.
• Running late. I wake up at 5 to run because I am certifiably hardcore. Nonetheless, I have a REALLY hard time getting to work by 10am, either because I've gone back to sleep or because I've embarked on a writing/cleaning/futzing around project and lost track of time.
  
• Potentially inclement weather. It may be nice out now, but by 3pm it'll be hailing. 6pm is soggy and cold, exactly the sort of weather I consider shitty biking weather.

Last summer I got around just fine without a car. I biked, took the bus, jogged, walked and bummed the occasional ride.

I am much busier this year, but the benefits of biking still far outweigh the lost time-efficiency. It's time spent outside, time spent exercising, exploring the city, saving money, getting an awkward tan, stepping away from the batty-making American Work Day routine.

Weather seems to be improving, it's light out till 9pm, and there is always the bus if I'm feeling extra-averse to The Hill. My bike has a brand new basket on the handlebars and recently-greased gears. Besides, I'll need a toned derriere to match my killer abs.

See? I really have no excuse. If all goes well, this is only the beginning of a beautiful summer fling with Hildegaard, that sexy blue vixen on wheels.

(Thar she is. Quite the looker, ain't she?)