Been car free for 16 days here. Feels pretty good, and a lot different than always having the reassurance that there's a car as backup, or to purchase a lot of items. Now I find myself having to contemplate what i'm going to purchase beforehand, and if I'll be able to fit it in my bag and bring it home. So far I have not had to put any items back due to not fitting in the bag, but I've packed it very full.
Currently for commuting I'm riding an old mountain bike that came with the room I'm renting, left behind by its previous owner. Started out with really wacked out spokes, every other spoke on the same side being a different tension. That caused a lot of brake rubbing with every spin of the wheel. Luckily I happen to be one who can true a wheel, and spent a good hour doing so. Now there is still a little wobble due to one spoke being stuck, but no more rubbing.
Weather seems to have let up a bit and my usual group got together on Sunday afternoon for a ride. I had set out early and done some extra hills beforehand. We get riding, and at one point after a hill I go back to sweep everyone up, though it turns out I miscounted and went too far looking for the last person who had already gone by. Ironically, I get back to the spot and it turns out that everyone had left. I didn't have the route map on me, and I set out to catch them. I came across a turn off that looked very familiar, at which point i decided to stop and try to look at the route on my phone. Coincidentally my phone had died. I went back to the original spot, nobody there still, rode around and looped back, then back tracked. It was getting late with a threat of rain, so I just rode back figuring I'll get online as soon as I get home and let them know I'm okay.
I get back home, log on to my computer, and post on the rides Meetup. Got the phone number to the organizer and gave her a call. Turns out they didn't realize I was gone, another couple in the group had turned back and they thought I had maybe gone with them. Overall I rode 80mi that day. Felt pretty good knowing that I could handle it, even with only a single Clif bar on hand. Plus, on the way home, I finally beat one of my rivals on a segment that I've been gunning for the past 6 months.