...literally! Believe it or not, I’m more than a little pumped to be back on the bike commute, as of today. That’s right, baby… Caught the 6:11am limited express to Palo Alto. Ah, it feels good to be a faux European in SF.
I’d be dishonest to suggest that the deck was anything less than stacked in my favor:
- I’m 18 hours off of a flight from Germany. Thanks to the wondrous properties of jetlag, this 6am train feels like mid-afternoon.
- My car is not presently in my possession (the Chrius is Nick’s chariot this week).
- Just dropped $280 on a major bike overhaul and tune-up. My bike has been sitting in the corner with a gleaming new drivetrain, screaming “ride me!”
- The weather this weekend is supposed to be beautiful!
In the end, feeling that awkward-but-familiar jolt as Caltrain lurched into motion from 4th and King this morning -- while sipping my coffee and cooling down from the cross-city sprint felt… great! I’ve been spoiled by the slick smooth, quiet, and comfortable trains in Germany. You know… those that don’t belch diesel exhaust, wake the deaf with their horns, or spill your coffee as they bounce over kinks in the tracks. But, from rumbling ride to the the die-hard commuters (and even some of those uniquely memorable conductors), Caltrain reminds me that I’m home.
(As if I needed any more reminding that I’m back in the Silicon Valley, the guy in the seat in front of me is editing Python code for LinkedIn.com. Yeah, I’m so nosy.)
Oh, and for the record: The new city side of my bike commute: now 2.5 miles with hills. That makes my daily round-trip around 8-11 miles (depending on whether I take the bullet or a limited to Cal Ave) – not bad for a daily ride!