I remember this ...

... commuting in the dark mornings.

Ooooo, sunrise, Jan 3, from my commute through Mt. Tabor Park in SE Portland. What a great greeting for a morning ride into work.

Things are looking familiar now, since I am now starting my second year of bike commuting - yay, I made it through my rookie year! Leaving early means darker mornings, but right now it seems to be right around sunrise, unless I get up a little earlier and on my way without dragging my feet, that is.

We have been quite lucky here in Portland in we have had pretty dry weather, recently. Only on my way home Frday did I get significant rain. It was a good test of the MB-1's fenders and long mudflaps. The bike stayed pretty clean overall, save for the brake goo that always comes off the pads and rims. In the late afternoon, basically end of the day, I had a doctor appointment, which is only about 3/4 mile away from work, so I rode there. (BP 116/68, Pulse 67 - we're good, yeah) While at my bike getting my rain gear on, my doctor walked by on his way home. He liked the color choice of the bike - cool.

I saw quite a few bike commuters on my way home, more than I usually see, since I usually leave work earlier than 4:30pm. That was pretty cool to see people still riding regardless of the weather. I had one person, while we were at a stop light, compliment me on using a MB-1 for a commuter - another cool. Then she roared on away when the light turned green.

I have to say I still love the winter mornings for the later sunrise. I can get some great views without necessitating having to get up earlier - lol. Even structures that in broad daylight are rather boring take on a more romantic-ish persona. On the left, above, is the rather mundane on-ramp from I-5 south to I-84 east. In this light, it acts like a pointer to the wonderful colors of the sunrise - that's my opinion, anyway. The Willamette was very calm, too.

Having the Willamette River bisect Portland is both good and bad. Bad, in terms of getting across it sometimes, especially in a car. Good, or is it great, in that we have some amazing views and it totally breaks up what would otherwise be just steel and concrete, building to building with no real views or vistas.

I always slow down once I have reached the river, both to cool down before starting work and to just enjoy the view. This is good, also, because it helps keep me from going too far in to commuting zombie mode - you know, where you just get in/on your transportation, put the blinders on, and head to work. I really do not want that to happen, though I have found myself in the mode a few times. Of course, I think it has more to do with having to go to work than my mode or route - hahaha.