Twice!

Just to make sure it wasn't a fluke, I waited until I made two full trips before declaring this mission accomplished and that I have emerged victorious!

I can ride my bike to work!!!

All hail me! I conquered my fear of riding on the road (by riding on the sidewalk) and hurling my myself through traffic (by walking my bike across the, hmmm, two intersections I need to cross). I had to switch to the lowest of my 5 (supposed to be 10, but the big gear sticks) gears to go up some of the hills, but that's a work in progress. Right now, I'm just happy that I can switch the gears (most of the time) on demand (the first time out riding circles in the parking lot I couldn't shift at all). People have been pretty entertained by my parking a bike in my office.

But.

I'm sad to report that I definitively live uphill from work. Which makes heading in not so bad, but riding home is just piling on work after work, which is kind of mean [shakes fist at...topography]!!!!