Stress Levels

My brother called me a little while ago, driving to take a bike ride on a nearby bike trail, since we're having some nice Spring weather. The smooth-going traffic came to a sudden halt and his happy mood changed immediately. He said, "Be GLAD you don't have a car!" and he started to fuss and fume about the traffic jam, and other drivers multi-tasking while driving and nearly ramming into other cars. He has RARELY said that I should be happy that I don't have a car. :) Most of the time, he thinks I OUGHT to have a car to get out of town on the weekends, etc.

I have rented a car a few times this year already, though, to get out of town, and it IS nice to have that option from time-to-time. This month, I rented a car to drive down to Richmond, Virginia to check out the Handmade Bike Show. (Funny, to rent a car and drive to a bike show...). I would have taken Amtrak, but unfortunately, they were doing track maintenance and the train station that services the line between D.C. and Richmond, was not available. :/ Anyway, when I went to pick up my rental car from Enterprise, the lady agent walked me out to the car to do an inspection, and I had my small folding bike, the Tikit, to put in the trunk. She said, "Okay, do the magic!" She saw how quick it folded up and fit in the trunk, and said, "My bike SOOO does not do that!!" :)

Renting the car from Enterprise for the weekend is kind of nice. The office is located about 2 miles from my house, and it takes about 15 min. to bike over there. I pick up the car on Saturday morning at 9 a.m., when their office opens. Within a half hour, the paperwork is done and I'm off down the road. Their office closes at noon on Saturday, and isn't open on Sunday. So I return the car on Monday morning, at 7:30, and take my bike out of the trunk and can head off to work from there. So it gives me two full days use of the car. I have scheduled visits with friends and family in other locations, and also load up on groceries on the way home, so I feel I make the best of my rental car time. After I return the rental car, I'm kind of happy to get back on the bike and have a slower, quieter pace of life. :)