RIDE TO WORK DAY!!!!

So today is bike to work day! Actually, it should be ride your bike to work day or cycle to work day. Bikers have long beards and ride motorcycles. Anyway, I went to sleep at 11:30 last night and woke up at 6. I was wide awake because I was really anxious about it. I had never ridden this route, and I didn't know how I'd do fixed geared on the route. I live up in Serra Mesa, which is on a hil, and then the end of the route is riding up Montezuma from Fairmount. I got ready to ride and set off for the adventure. Getting out of my neighborhood was a little bit rough as I live on a hill with a pretty big incline. My muscles were definitely weren't awake and warmed up yet, so I was feeling tired already. I got over to Mission Center Rd and started down the steep hill. A guy on a road bike flew past me because I couldn't coast and I didn't want to let my legs pedal uncontrollably and for me to crash somehow. I made it down the hill no problem and then caught up to the guy around Ralphs and Incahoots. He was in his 50's and very nice. He complemented my beautiful beater bike, saw it was fixed and realized how he had past me going down the hill. He was heading to Old Town to ride around Oceanside and ride back. We parted ways by Mission Valley and I stopped to buy a water bottle at the ARCO. I took Camino Del Rio North, the road the Dave and Busters is on and took that all the way to Fairmount. Camino Del Rio going eastward is on a little bit of an incline, but it wasn't too bad. I liked that part of the ride. More relaxing as you don't have to worry about too much traffic. I saw a lot of cyclists, and we either waved or nodded to each other, the camaraderie I enjoyed very much, because it made me feel even more proud of myself for doing this. Back to the route, anyway, I hit Fairmount/Montezuma and started the hill. It wasn't too bad at first, and I was riding on the sidewalk because it's a little bit easier to ride on than asphault. About halfway up to the Talmadge Canyon area stoplight I was struggling, trying to keep my breathing good. I winced at the last few pedal strokes but was relieved I made it up to the light. I took a 2-minute breather and then pressed onward. I made it up to the 54th St. light and rested again. I could see 55th St, the point where I can say "I made it!" and I pressed on as hard as I could until the rode leveled out. Out of breath and tired I slowly rode down Montezuma to College Ave where Zumwalt's(the bike shop in the college area) was hosting the pit stop along with SDSU. I had a cup of water, took some Clif bars and an apple then rode proudly into work.

The ride was difficult, but do-able. Thinking about it more, I have now decided that I'm going to buy an old road bike and restore it so that I can ride that into work hopefully two to three days a week. I can't wait to test out the hill on Mission Center Rd. on the way home= (