The new route I take to work to include a side trip to the health club is a mile longer and more fun. I wasn’t looking forward to riding that extra mile, but the route is so much better it takes the same amount of time. This new route cuts out several traffic lights, is on a smoother road, and avoids the steepest hill of my commute. All these things make for a faster ride. There is one 6-way intersection where I have to wait FOR EVER if I hit a red light, but so far I’ve only hit the light about 50% of the time. There is also one unmarked pothole in the bike lane large enough to fit a newborn baby into, so I have to stay on guard to avoid that. And watch out for babies.

Today, as I was turning left from the health club, across the road and onto the bike lane, a cyclist zooming downhill at about 40 mph yelled “HEADS UP!” I am glad he did, because it was perfectly timed, and I did not even see him when I started turning. To my credit, he was probably in another county when I looked.

And just for fun, I updated my Monkey Light from red and green Christmas stars to blue and green Seahawks stars. Cause, why not? I am waiting for the inevitable chorus of drunken cheers as I pass fans on game day.

Fremont Bridge bike count: 69