Thoughts on biking both short and long distances

I do commute by bike almost every day.  I promise.  It's just that when I work at the coffee shop, I normally take Wisconsin Avenue straight up, because let's be honest, there aren't all that many creative ways to get to Friendship Heights.  New Mexico Avenue through AU's campus was my preferred route, but I really just hate that hill and 44th Street is boring.  Unfortunately, Wisconsin Avenue is not very interesting either, aside from nearly getting sideswiped by cars every 3 minutes or so.  If anyone has suggestions for a different route between Glover Park and Friendship Heights, let me know...

After waking up this morning with an alarming amount of fatigue in my legs, I decided to bike in anyway.  I suspect the fatigue had something to do with standing up for 7 1/2 hours while selling baked goods to a non-stop stream of last-minute Valentine's Day shoppers, many of them snobby and demanding.  I am highly in favor of a snob tax, or an additional $5 charge for people who are excessively haughty.  I have always hated pink, and I refuse to own anything with hearts on it, so Valentine's Day was not a holiday designed for me.  Also, men are awful, confused creatures who shouldn't be allowed to date until they turn 30.  NOT that I'm bitter or anything.  Nevertheless, I acted perky, cheerful and was highly caffeinated, and thus made it through the day.

But I digress.  Despite the tiredness, the bike ride was lovely.  The tinge of springtime was especially prominent, and the sunshine was wonderful.  A bus passed me near Dupont with about 2 inches of space, which was the only really scary part of the ride.  There was also the guy who nearly stepped into my path along Massachusetts Avenue (really?)....and Joe Pedestrian meandered into the bike lane, as per usual, but a guy on the sidewalk pointed me out to him and he jumped out of the way.

I've decided that I need to bike across the continent....most of the grad schools I applied to are out West, so I'm probably going to end up there anyway.  And I don't have a car, so the idea of getting rid of most of my stuff and just biking out is so appealing that it's occupying most of my thoughts.  It's something I've wanted to do for about 2 years now, and it seems like it could be possible with some planning and maybe a little bit of money.  The most I've ever managed to do in one day is about 60 miles, though, so I would need to work up to it as I rode.  Plus, if I get into school in Anchorage, I would necessarily HAVE to bike through the Yukon...and really, how cool would that be?