Need Your Help...but first...

...how 'bout that ride to work today, Chicago bike commuters? Is this February...or April? Did I wake up in San Luis Obispo this morning? I was confused when I didn't see any palm trees as Big E and I rolled at 6:15 - actually I left at 6:15 to meet him at 6:30, he never showed (flatted) so I left, but he caught me at Lehigh and Dempster. We had a glorious 52-degrees-and-sunny, not-a-cloud-to-be-seen tailwind as we cruised north through Morton Grove and Glenview. It was a bit sloppy - with the last remaining ice-berms draining melt-water into the street to mix with the remaining salt and grime that hadn't been washed away by last night's rain - but we didn't mind in the least. I'll spend another hour tonight scrubbing the kit soaking in the bathroom sink, but I don't care.

On a more somber note, we did pass the aftermath of a horrific two-car crash on Central just south of Devon. It looked like a red sedan tried to make a left turn into the forest preserve parking lot and got T-boned by a northbound silver car. Traffic moves quickly there. Too fast. We passed with in feet of the silver car and saw it empty, with no blood. The right front end of the red car however was completely destroyed and the windshield broken out. If there was a passenger in the front seat, survival looked grim...

False hopes.

I know as well as you do this is a false spring. The cold and snow will be back this weekend, perhaps for a couple more weeks, but today's preview is an announcement that warmer weather is on the way. Cyclists were poking their heads out like prairie dogs all weekend, testing the air, getting an early look. And seeing them all gave me an idea for my first article.

First article?

Yes! I've been made a writer for Examiner.com, the Chicago Cycling Examiner, to be specific. It's sort of the Amway of epublishing. I applied on Craigslist a few months ago, and yesterday I received word from them that I was "hired." I use the quotes because I am supposed to get compensated based on traffic to my articles, but that remains to be seen. I view it mostly as an opportunity to refine my focus, drill down to a more targeted audience, and build a portfolio. It's hard to believe, being hired to write articles based on no experience - almost like when Homer Simpson tries to become an internet tycoon without any idea of how to make money at it. But that's just it - the site makes money on internet traffic through it's advertisers, so I need to drive traffic to my articles.

Please click through above, and if you like what you read there, please share it - via Digg, Facebook, Google Reader, etc. Expect to see a more cycling-focused approach of what you read here at The Car Whisperer: maintenance tips, shop reviews, neighborhood exploration and new bikes routes. The moment I get a check, I'll be sure to let you know...and when I get enough to by a 12 pack of High Life - hopefully in time for the Midweek Gem - I'll see you at J.J. Peppers!