Home is where my bike is

I spent most of this gorgeous weekend in Albany, where my brother-in-law just bought a house and is transitioning his family from ultra-urban Alamo Square in San Francisco to a nice, quiet street that's still walking distance from Solano Ave.  Their two-year-old son is definitely adjusting, but I think he'll adapt well to the playground that's a block away and the big back yard.

(I got in trouble for starting a game of "throw the empty box off the porch."  Oops.  I don't have kids, so I don't think these things through to the logical conclusion of throwing anything and everything off the porch...)

We're excited to have them closer to Oakland - although after the second bike ride from Lake Merritt up to Solano, the bike computer showed 17 miles round trip!  The difference is that when we leave, we don't have to worry about the bus or BART schedule.  We know it will take about 45 minutes to get home from whenever we take off.

This is one of the main reasons I love riding my bike.  Not only is it pretty quick for short distances, it's eminently flexible.  And for someone who's often trying to squeeze in just one more email before leaving the office, or forgetting that the laundry is still downstairs in the dryer, I need that little grace window.

Tomorrow, it's back to Oakland Airport, where the only bicycles are behind glass in the concourse exhibit.  But at least the sharrow will make me feel at home!