Photo by Flickr user Jeff Moser / BikeCarson.com

Jeff Moser of Bike Carson and Muscle Powered has a guest column in the Nevada Appeal today, all about his last 16 months of biking to work.

Over the last year, I’ve become more intimate with the city and the weather. I know how each neighborhood smells, where the shadiest trees are, and which streets have the prettiest houses. I’m more aware of elevation changes and road conditions. I can tell the difference in small temperature variations, and know just what to wear in any weather to stay comfortable. I have actual conversations with people that I see along the way, and even enjoy my daily scolding from the crossing guard that teases me about running late as usual.

Last year when the Nevada Appeal interviewed me about bicycle commuting, they asked me, “Why do you do it?” I was silent for a little while, and never did come up with a decent answer. I’d say that fun, self reliance, freedom, and opting out of the system are what motivate me the most these days, but I think the most accurate answer to the question of “Why?” is, “It’s just what I do.”