- A lot of places I want to go are right on the rail trail or reasonably close to it - and when I do need to ride on the road, drivers are generally pretty courteous.
- I can merrily jingle my bell and wave at people the whole way through Florence and Northampton - and it puts me in a much better mood.
- On a beautiful Friday afternoon, I was zipping across the rail trail bridge, watching all the people stuck on the car bridge/parking lot - not only was I making my way home more quickly, but I was spending time outside, and getting some exercise at the same time.
- Nobody thinks it's all that weird that I pack my little dog into a trailer and hit the road.
- I feel totally Ok about clipping a U-lock around my frame and whatever stationery object is at hand and walking away. In big cities I've cycled in, you need to lock everything together, I typically carried two U-locks and a cable lock, and removed every possible accessory from my bike.
What are your favorite things about riding in the valley?
