Urbana-Champaign Bicycle Commute

what does "ride and maintain" mean? It means why do commuters make do and improvise? And I maintain it's only because we have to. It's certainly not my natural inclination.

So. I want better lighting - hey, I want better sounds, too. It should be really, really easy to put together a little electronic MP3 gizmo with my favorite sound effects. If it were anything remotely resembling my natural inclination I would do so. (I've gathered some of the stuff to do it with. The inclinatin hasn't sloped me down there.) Yes, I can purchase a flogging foghorn or assorted high decibel cacophinators. There are other options which would be a whole lot more fun.

And the bottom line is most stuff is made for fair weather riders. My Gazelle is clearly designed to be like a car - park it wherever, it's fine. Drive it through whatever, it's fine. I don't have to clean everything up if it gets caught in a sprinkle. I want that to be true for my sweet Xtra.

Forgot to mention the Friday parkingl lot scenery - myriad cars at Hobby Lobby ... nope, they're wearing cubs jerseys and getting out of their cars and... there's the bus! No wonder those silly guys won ;)