I got home from class last night just before 10 after a really frustrating ride across Worcester ready to unleash a tirade, not upon drivers but my fellow cyclists.  There were a number of them last night that proved to be much more hazardous to my health than any driver.  As I prepared to berate these morons, a wave of calm washed over me as I remembered what I had wanted to write about before that commute.

Yesterday I had a couple of in-person and on-line exchanges that were so positive and uplifting that a fleeting moment of reflection upon them changed my entire mood for the night and today.

I would love to get into the details of these exchanges but it’s not what was said that matters but the distinct effect these moments have on me.  I try to pretend that this experiment isn’t about me, but to say that is 100% true is a lie.  To that end, I don’t think I’m doing any great social service.  I’m a pretty average guy trying to share his average response to this CarFree life.

Often times, I neglect to appreciate the role that everyone who reads this thing plays in all that.  There are mornings, evenings, and afternoons when I doubt this decision and I feel that I just can’t get on my bike.  Sometimes I just don’t have it in me to fight the traffic, angry drivers, and moron fellow cyclists and I’m sure I’ll turn around and go home at the first hill or gust of wind in my face.

This feeling can quickly overwhelm me but I’ve found that turning to the comments that people have left on this blog and emails I’ve received allow me to power forward.  To make a long sappy story short, there are many occasions when you are the reason I’m able to get on my bike and peddle up that next hill just because you read this silly thing!

I guess what I’m trying to say is Thanks.