I wasn't able to take part in any of Elgin's Bike to Work activities this week, except for one -- actually getting on my bike and riding to work.

Well, I just did it one day -- today (Thursday, June 17). And I'm only halfway through the process -- I still need to ride home in order to call it a real commute.

It's sort of an important step for me, though. Because of a recent move, home now is 16 miles away. That's much farther than the commute-of-sorts I had whenever I pedaled between my west-side Elgin home and The Courier-News office on Lake Street, on the city's near-east side. In those days, I could practically fall off my bike and be at work.

So although I'm an experienced bicyclist, today's trip still was a new adventure. There were the practical considerations, of course: having work clothes ready at the office so I could get out of my riding attire (I brought a gym bag of clothes to work yesterday), leaving early enough to get here on time (an hour instead of a half-hour), knowing the route (including the Fox River Trail bike path).

More considerations, Bike to Work Week activities, after the jump.