For all the reasons you’re thinking.

I just biked to school using the Unnamed Bike. Yeah, it’s a Saturday, and no, I’m not actually carrying books or anything, but I wanted to get a feel for how long it would take and what the perils would be.

Now, the trip is only one mile going along the main road (Wabash Ave.). But I ain’t stupid and I ain’t trying to get killed, so I’m taking a slightly more circuitous route. It’s not bad in terms of time–I figure I should allot 15 minutes, but it won’t really take that long. When I get more comfortable riding, I’ll probably start going down Wabash.

I get kinda sweaty, though, which sucks.

Now I just need to get a helmet, a light for the bike, and a chain and lock (although I plan to park it in the Thorn office most days).

It’s interesting how many more people are using bikes on campus. Rose isn’t a biker campus–I have yet to find a single bike rack, and find people using random railings and light posts to chain up their bikes. But the gas prices are a wonderful impetus for those of us with bikes.

Besides that, there are the health benefits. My legs are rather tired after tackling The Hill (I’ll have to take a picture of this hill), even on a low speed, and my lungs got a good workout. I’m sure that soon (after several days of riding The Hill every morning) it’ll be nothing, but for now it’s rather daunting.

I don’t know how winter riding will work out (I don’t think it will), but even if I only drive during winter, that’s still a huge reduction in gas costs.

Edit: Biking home went equally well. I got my helmet and a lock/chain combo, although the light that I bought is too big to stay in place around the handlebar. Nevermind. Pretty light.