To bike or not to bike...problem solved!

I had been thinking about getting a bike because it would allow me so much more freedom to explore more of the city and there are some great places to ride. There is a lake right outside the city which is supposedly really beautiful, and there is a nice trail at Hannam University right next to our campus. Plus, it would allow me to start training early for RAGBRAI. :) What was holding me back, besides the money, is that the traffic here is crazy. Cars don't yield to pedestrians at all, and the bigger the vehicle the more control it has of the road. There aren't even any stop signs! I didn't know if I would feel safe riding my bike amongst all the bad drivers. Yesterday on the way to Home Plus I actually got hit by a car! It just bumped my elbow, but still, it just gives you an idea of how careful you have to be (and a great story. hehe). But, after thinking about it I realized that if I could get hit while walking, too, why not just ride the bike and get there faster. Last weekend one of the dorms was trying to get rid of some of their old bikes...for free! I couldn't pass up a free bike so I went to check them out. They are really dirty and rusty and need some air in the tires, but other than that they work great. All the gears are in proper working order. So, I made the decision; as of today I now have my own wheels.