The kids are back in school (Oliver AND Allyson in high school, Eleanor in 7th) and so I can no longer take my magical 8 a.m. bus which drops me off directly as the next bus comes and I arrive at the office, with my bike, at 8:45. The 8:30 bus comes between 8:30 and never, and drops me off when it is a 12 minute wait to the next bus, thus forcing me to ACTUALLY ride my bike a few miles up a slight hill; even though I already ran in the morning …

The bike is vital to my commute anyway, I usually have 1-2 meetings during the day, and then always bike through Georgetown and over Key Bridge to catch the bus up the “hill” of Arlington to home.

Why, yes, I am whining. I like the OPTION to bike, but I love public transit! I would choose either, or walking if it weren’t so slow, over DRIVING, but goodness I love a resting time to read a book and chill out on the bus. But! I also love walking with Eleanor to her bus stop in the morning; so needs must.

My colleagues and I rode to a Nationals Game last week, and then I rode to the metro when a colleague rode all the way home. I remember those days, but now I just love how flexible my commute is — how I can bike, and bus, and metro, and walk, and bike, and still get from Point A to Point B. It’s never QUITE as fast as driving, but feels infinity safer and more peaceful to me.

But I do love to bike! And will love it even more when they flatten these hills out …