The other day I walked in the door to hear Kelly describing her hectic day spent driving to North Raleigh and back.
“I’m done with North Raleigh!” she declared with a grin.
Having made many trips myself driving up and down Capital Boulevard during the move, I knew what she meant. Our perspective on distances has really changed.
Though we didn’t really know it when we lived there, North Raleigh is sprawlville. No offense to my North Raleigh friends and family: I love y’all and will continue to visit. That said, though, its so much nicer being close to downtown, where anything more than 2 miles away is a haul.
I’ve been biking regularly to work, for instance, and am totally loving it! I take my bike with me as I walk Hallie to school in the morning and ride from her school into downtown. It takes me about as long as it would for me to park in a free parking place and then schlep up to Fayetteville Street. I even found a flatter route: Brookside-Watauga-Oakwood-Stein-Hargett-Fayetteville. The traffic is very light and the area is safe.
I decided to brave riding my bike to work today, knowing I had my Neighborhood College class after work. I wasn’t brave enough to ride up Wilmington Street – even though it dead-ends at my destination: Peace College – but I had no trouble riding on the sidewalk. I was somewhat concerned about the trip from Peace back home, knowing it would be after dark. Fortunately I have a very bright, flashing taillight and had little trouble seeing the street when I rode down the big hill on Glascock. I cringed for a moment when a man and his dog walked out in front of me, fifty yards up, but I sailed by them no problem.
Amazon is shipping me a mega-bright LED bike light and its due to get here any day. Once I have that I should be equipped for “all weather” riding!