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This was no easy path to start on. I used to be that dedicated rider that hit the trails constantly, but I'm not in the bike shape I was at 19. The first weekend test ride to work a month ago took me over an hour to get to work and over two to get home (It's a steep elevation climb to get back up into the hills above the Lexington Reservoir). Still I was determined to get hard-bodied again and save the planet in the process. ;)
My progress has been fantastic. I feel suffused with new energy, I'm losing weight, and I look forward to bike days. My speed is increasing quickly. My best time to work was today - at 38 minutes. My best time home was yesterday at 1:12 (and I'll beat it today if I can). I just graduated to commuting by bike three days a week, and in time, it will be every day (except for days I need the car to run errands).
The best part is what I love about mountain biking - The sensation of flying through nature, of floating over the hilltops and rocketing down the slopes in the still dawn. Small rabbits run alongside and flee down the rust-rock trail. Birds surge from the brush and fly out over the lake. You yell and catch air as the sun reaches up to grab the sky.
What better commute than this?
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If you're interested, here's some bike commute blogs to add to your RSS reader:
http://bikecommutetips.blogspot.com
http://www.bikecommuters.com/ - From the same guys that run Mtn Bike Riders bellow. It used to be largely LA based, but now the guys that update it most are from Florida. They have a lot of reviews for parts and commuter bikes, as well as profiles of other bike commuters. They update often and it's a great source to stay fired up about bike commuting (especially in the winter ;) )
http://commutebybike.com/ The Mtn Bike Riders / Bike Commuters guys used to run this site till they had a falling out with the blog network they were part of. There's still some interesting reviews and stuff posted, but not as frequently.
http://www.mtnbikeriders.com/ - By far one of the most entertaining blogs I read regularly. They used to do mostly commuting stuff on the Bike Commuters blog, but in the last two years the crew has gotten into Mtn Bikes big time. Daily updates. Lots of parts/frames/bike reviews. Lots of trail tips, and race reports. Every weekend someone who writes for the blog is racing so there's a lot to be learned... even if you're not a racer. They cover all the different disciplines of Mtn Bikes.
http://sf.streetsblog.org/ - Advocacy and transportation related. I read the LA Streetsblog because it's more applicable to me, but the SF one might be something you're interested in. They're the one's who'll make you aware of fun stuff to do, like Maker Faire, that gets you a discount if you show up on two wheels ;-)
http://epicureancyclist.com - Another favorite. Updated by Russ Roca, it's largely touring oriented, but there's a lot of stuff about off road trails in there. Lots of gear reviews and AWESOME pictures (Russ is a professional photographer by trade). He dabbles in a bit of bicycle advocacy as well... This blog largely inspired the purchase and build up of my latest bike.
http://www.yehudamoon.com/ - A bicycle web-comic. Largely commuting / road bike oriented, but still fun. It's pretty new and it's just recently back from a hiatus... One of the few web-comics I keep up with.